The Search For A Mind
by Reaalis
Summary: Kenichi tries to repair Tima, but runs into a few problems along the way. Chapter 10's up! That took a while. The story is now finished, I hope to right a sequel sometime so keep your eyes peeled. I'm still considering revisions to this chapter by the way
1. Chapter 1

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Metropolis and all of its characters, concepts, names, art, promotional junk, etc are   
owned solely by their respective creators, unless of course someone bought them, in   
that case they own them, but whatever happens I don't own them. Understand?   
'Didn't think so.  
  
Anyway, first chapter of my second fic coming up, in fact this is my first real one   
since Tima's log wasn't really a story I suppose. So please, be nice.  
  
Enjoy.  
  
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Kenichi watched his Uncle's plane fly into the distance from his vantage point atop a   
pile of rubble, then scrambled down to join Fifi. He pulled the metal box from its   
place at his breast and opened it. Inside was all he had left of Tima, her tiny bionic   
heart.  
"Fifi... can you take me to the place you found this?"  
The maintenance robot emitted a small sequence of beeps and nodded, then began to   
walk away. Kenichi followed close behind.  
As the two walked silently, Kenichi thought back on everything that had happened   
over the past few days. It was as if he had experienced an entire lifetime in less than a   
week. Kenichi's thoughts turned once again to Tima, as they had a thousand times   
recently. A terrible sense of guilt threatened to overwhelm him as Kenichi   
remembered those last horrible moments with Tima. How he had called to her to grab   
his hand, how she had sluggishly lifted her eyes to his. When her eyes met his and he   
had seen the terror in her eyes, Kenichi had almost let go in shock. It was then that he   
had realised something was wrong, that for some reason she wasn't going to be able   
to help him save her. By now Tima's remains must be buried under several hundred   
tons of rubble...  
Kenichi shivered and focused on Fifi, trying to clear his mind. But the thoughts kept   
on forcing themselves upon him. Tima had needed him desperately during those final   
seconds, and he had failed her.  
He was brought sharply back to reality as he stubbed his toe on a stray pipe.   
Grimacing he picked himself up and looked around.  
The two had reached a particularly difficult area of rubble. With a number beeps Fifi   
pointed towards a flat area about a hundred metres in front of them.  
"Ok Fifi, I'll go on from here. I guess you weren't designed for this sort of thing."  
In a short time and with a little work Kenichi had made it to the clear area, and what   
he found there caused Kenichi to come close to being sick.  
Scattered across a five-metre radius were Tima's remains. Although it would be   
difficult for someone who didn't know what to look for to identify them as such. In   
one corner lay Tima's head, the metal skull rent by a massive crack, and only a few   
pieces of skin remained. All that was left of her hair was a single dried out tuft   
hanging from behind the only remaining ear. The rest was much harder to put to a   
specific use, with what appeared to be six pieces of her torso scattered around, a   
kneecap, a hand and a lower leg being the only barely identifiable pieces. The only   
word that could possibly describe the rest was 'mess'.  
Kenichi knelt down beside the now expressionless face and lifted it up. He put it   
down again quickly when a collection of unidentifiable electronic components   
dropped from the neck.  
"Tima..."  
A solitary tear dropped down on to the paralysed face. For a second Kenichi could   
have sworn he saw a movement in her only remaining eye. That was it. Kenichi   
threw his arms about the severed head and cried until not another tear could be   
squeezed from his eyes, then sobbed for another few minutes.  
When Kenichi was spent, he sat down quietly before Tima's head and allowed   
himself to daydream for a while. Thinking of all sorts of ways in which he and Tima   
could be together again, and what he would say when she opened her eyes.  
Strangely as he wondered the vestiges of a plan began to form at the back of his mind.   
Again and again Kenichi's thoughts turned to Laughton's notebook, and its wealth of   
knowledge on Tima's workings. If he could just find it he might be able to bring her   
back, do what he failed to do for her as she dangled from the Ziggurat.  
Like something possessed he leaped up and ran back to Fifi. The robot took a step   
back as Kenichi nearly crashed into him.  
"Fifi, go gather as many others as you can! Were going to try and repair Tima!" he   
yelled, screeching to halt inches from Fifi.  
Fifi made a few surprised bleeps and it took a few moments for Kenichi to collect   
himself enough to be able to make any real sense.  
"I think I know how we can repair Tima. She's there. Every last part of her. Go and   
gather as many other robots as you can. If we can just find her creators notebook we   
can put her back together! I know it!"  
  
* * * * *  
  
Kenichi sighed as he looked out over the vista of rubble and the small group of robots   
Fifi had managed to rally to their cause. The search for the remains of the throne   
room and hopefully Laughton's notebook was not going well. The only clue they had   
was that it would be somewhere in the middle of the ruin, since the tower had in its   
last moments imploded drawing the upper levels toward the centre.  
Tima's remains had a long time since been moved into an abandoned sewer and were   
being kept in the best possible storage conditions, an old industrial freezer, with the   
heart in a worn out vacuum sealed container.  
"Fifi, anyone find anything yet?" Kenichi called.  
Fifi shook his head and turned back to his task as overseer. This was pretty much the   
norm now. Kenichi would wake up, stare at Tima's head for an hour or so, put on   
some clothes, try to understand whatever component was defying reason that   
particular morning, then get annoyed and go for a walk down to the excavation site to   
pester Fifi. Eventually Fifi would tell Kenichi to find something else to do and   
Kenichi would return to his room and work on the damaged computer terminal he had   
salvaged early on. By now Kenichi had become quite good at repairing and   
reprogramming robots, in fact roughly a quarter of his assistants were working with   
him out of a debt of gratitude of some kind. As soon as he had finished repairing the   
computer terminal he was going to connect it to what little of Tima he had repaired   
and run a scan to see how many of her operating systems were still functional, and if   
whatever had possessed her before was still in control.  
  
* * * * *  
  
"OW!"  
Aki bleeped worriedly into dark mass of screens and keypads containing Kenichi and   
his toolbox. Aki had been working with Kenichi for only a short time now. The   
Albert 1 derivative had joined the group out of gratitude after Kenichi and a small   
scavenger group of robots had saved her from a gang of extremist thugs, the kind of   
people who blamed robots for Metropolis' current financial depression and therefore   
the poor living conditions.  
Kenichi skidded out from under the mess on his reconditioned skateboard/wooden   
plank sucking his finger.  
"I'm okay Aki. The screw diver slipped, that's all. Still, it's done, start it up."  
Kenichi rolled back under the terminal and Aki pushed in the power lead. A soft   
crackle could be heard and the screens came to life, and then with a bang went black   
again.  
"Switch it off! Switch it off!"  
Aki quickly cut the power and ran to Kenichi, whose face was blackened, his hair was   
standing on end, and his eyebrows were missing. He looked more than a little stupid.  
"The transformer exploded."  
With a few consoling bleeps Aki turned and fetched a glass of water for Kenichi.   
When she returned she was also carrying a damp cloth.  
"Thanks Aki..." Kenichi said taking a sip of the water and wiping his face.  
"We were so close... There aren't any spare components are there?"  
Aki walked away towards the storage room while Kenichi slipped back under the   
terminal to check for damage.  
  
* * * * *  
  
The next morning Kenichi was awakened by a cacophony of synthetic human voices   
and beeping noises. As he stumbled into the room still so close to sleep he couldn't   
understand why the shirt he had put on backwards felt so uncomfortable, he was   
sharply awakened by another blast of noise and surrounded by the robots from the   
excavation site. He was quickly channelled toward the back of the room where Fifi   
was standing, holding a small leather bound red book.  
  
  
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How was it? Any hints as to improvements for the next chapter would be real nice.   
Thanks! 


	2. Chapter 2

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Disclaimer: What I said in the last chapter is what I still say. I   
haven't changed my mind and don't think you can get me to just so you   
can sue me. So there.  
  
Well, chapter two, I hope this is all right. I've decided to extend the   
story a little, make it more than a simple happy ever after story.   
Also, if anyone can think of a better way to phrase those last few   
sentences I'd really appreciate it, I think they sound kinda weird.   
Anyway, here's the story.  
  
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The discovery of Laughton's notebook heralded the end of Kenichi and the   
small robot community's troubles. Tima's repairs were now proceeding   
smoothly, and would soon be completed. The size of the group had almost   
doubled, and daily scavenger hunts were now being made into the ruins.   
In essence the future looked bright.  
On one of the hunts the remains of the throne had been recovered, and   
much as Kenichi hated the machine which had taken Tima from him, he was   
studying it. He needed to know how to interface with Tima to be sure   
she was no longer dangerous.  
"How are you doing?" Aki asked as she walked into the poorly lit room,   
containing a carbon steel throne lying on its side in a corner,   
connected to the pile of computer paraphernalia which was Kenichi's   
terminal, a mattress, a desk covered in an impressive collection of   
messy schematic diagrams, and the boy who was hunched over them. The   
other noticeable items on the desk were a collection of photographs   
taken from the notebook, each one of Tima. It was beginning to bear an   
unnerving resemblance to the desk in Duke Red's office.  
"Not well." Kenichi had started to understand the basics of the language   
of beeps used by his robot companions. It was simple binary code with   
minor emotive toning, so with his newfound computer experience Kenichi   
could, albeit rather slowly, interpret what his friends were saying.   
"The throne connects to Tima through her hands for simple data transfer,   
but for the big things like emotions, optical and audio data..." Kenichi   
sighed and shook his head.  
Aki reached up and touched his arm.  
"Kenichi, you can do it, don't worry. All you need to do is review the   
core log files. Then we can wake Tima."  
Kenichi turned to look at the little robot.  
"But what if she's still dangerous? I could never review her   
programming without better access, and since I can't study the rest of   
the throne..."  
"Quiet now Kenichi. You've made yourself stay awake too long and you   
need to rest. You won't be able to help Tima if you can't even take   
care of yourself. Go to bed."  
"Yes, you're right Aki. Thank you." Kenichi murmured and rose stiffly   
from his seat. It would be nice to sleep on a bed again; lately he had   
been waking up in the mornings lying on top of the previous night's   
work.  
"Goodnight Kenichi." Aki beeped and shut the door.  
  
* * * * *  
  
That night as he slept Kenichi remembered the happy moments he had spent   
with Tima. He remembered those first seconds in which Tima had turned   
her eyes on him, the moment when the unbreakable bond between Kenichi   
and Tima had been forged. From then on, one way or another, one had   
always been in the other's mind. Then Kenichi dreamed he was sitting in   
a tree back in his home country holding hands with Tima and she turned   
and smiled at him. Suddenly all was black. Tima was gone and he was   
alone. Kenichi called out for her but Tima was nowhere to be seen. He   
ran around in the dark randomly for a while still calling until   
eventually Tima appeared in front of him. Kenichi was hit by an   
overwhelming sense of relief as he ran to her, however when he reached   
her Tima was just stood motionless. He repeatedly asked her what was   
wrong and shook her gently but nothing ever happened, her face remained   
blank and expressionless. Kenichi finally put his arms around Tima and   
cried.  
"Kenichi..."  
Kenichi stepped back and looked at Tima. Had she just spoken?  
"Kenichi..."  
She had spoken his name this time, he was sure.  
"What is it Tima? I'm here."  
"Kenichi wake up."  
"Huh?"  
Kenichi opened his eyes. He was lying on his front in his room. The   
owner of the voice had not been Tima but a humanoid robot kneeling   
beside his head.  
"Kenichi you were having a bad dream."  
Kenichi stood up from his bed, his vision was still a little blurred.  
"Chris...? Ungh..."  
"Come on Kenichi, get up. We've got a lot to do today, if we work hard,   
we can be done within the week."  
"Yeah, I know. It'll be nice to get out of this cramped room."  
  
* * * * *  
  
As Kenichi, Chris and Aki walked out of the old sewer access that led to   
their home, each was forced to cover their eyes momentarily in the   
bright sunlight. It had been several days since Kenichi had been   
outside, and it took his eyes a while to adjust.  
"Come on Kenichi, Aki, everyone's waiting down in the plaza." Chris said   
walking away.  
The plaza was an area cleared of rubble and covered by a large canvas   
sheet suspended on poles at the centre of the ruins a few hundred metres   
from the sewer. Whenever Kenichi came to this place and saw Tima's   
metal skeleton (The last of the skin had had to be removed a long time   
ago as it was starting to rot) lying on the work table, the sight of her   
near completion almost brought tears to his eyes. Today was different   
though; today was the day Kenichi would place Tima's heart in her breast   
and begin the final checks that would enable him to activate her. He   
held the heart's container tightly in his hand.  
As Kenichi stood over his friend's prone metal body and looked into her   
eyes, he suddenly felt incredibly weak. He felt that terrible weight of   
responsibility again and looked down at the capsule in his hand. One   
mistake at this point and it would be all over. Tima's heart was   
incredibly delicate and if even one of the tiny glass like needles that   
connected it to her fuel and lubrication systems was damaged, it would   
be impossible to fix. This task should really be done with special   
equipment, but there was no way to acquire it. It would have to be done   
by hand, and not by the clumsy hands of a worker robot.  
Kenichi felt something touch his shoulder and turned round to find Fifi   
standing behind him.  
"Ke-nichi... you c-a-n do... it. Do n-ot wor-ry." Fifi said. Kenichi   
had recently discovered that even though the damage done when Rock had   
shot his friend had been repaired, it had left Fifi with some sort of   
speech impediment. Kenichi had never been able to find the problem and   
had eventually put it down to some kind of collective malfunction.  
"Thanks Fifi, in fact, thank you, all of you." Kenichi said stepping   
back and looking at the thirty or so robots who had helped with the   
repairs.  
"I could never have done this without your help. You've all been very   
supportive and now I have to finish this."  
The next four hours were spent carefully connecting each pin to its   
respective coupling, then feeding the connection wire gently back into   
its socket. It was very stressful for everyone, especially for Kenichi,   
but eventually the task was finished.  
As the last wire was fed into it's socket and the clamps applied to hold   
the heart in place, Kenichi gave a sigh and closed the incision.  
"It's finished..." as Kenichi spoke he lost his balance and fell   
forwards. Chris was there to catch him and the next thing Kenichi knew   
was he was lying in his bed.  
  
* * * * *  
  
The next day was an incredibly busy one as Kenichi and the robots   
carried Tima into his workroom and carefully connected her to the I/O   
ports Kenichi had designed. He spent the rest of the day checking the   
connections and debugging his terminal's communication protocols.   
Kenichi was awake long into the night. When he awoke in the chair of   
his terminal the next morning, he ached all over.  
Once he had gotten up Kenichi and the others began the slow and boring   
procedure of starting Tima's subsystems for the status check. All   
prayed it would yield positive results.  
After Kenichi had managed to establish a two-way connection to Tima's   
CPU everyone left him alone to do his work. Only Aki entered the room   
every few hours to bring Kenichi some food and water.  
"How is she?" Aki once asked.  
"Everything's okay so far Aki but I can't tell whether or not she's   
still being controlled by whatever took her over. It's like a ghost in   
her system; leaving whatever subsystem I find it in the instant I gain   
access. I'm closing in on it though. Every system I enter I re-encrypt   
the access codes. It's running out of hiding places."  
One log Kenichi read he found quite disturbing. It was her final log   
made as she dangled from the tower. Through this log Kenichi was able   
to put a name to the ghost in Tima's system, a program calling itself   
'Internal Control Override'. During the time when Tima had been   
attacking Kenichi, it seemed her emotion processor had been locked out   
of the CPU by the logic systems, the place where the override program   
had been controlling her from. But what Kenichi found even more   
worrying was that her emotive system had stopped fighting after a while   
and had been replaced in its battle by something the CPU could not   
identify. Had Tima finally discovered her heart? Was that what this   
'Unknown Source' that had kept calling to Kenichi for help was?  
Finally Kenichi was able to corner the ghost in Tima's audio processor   
and delete it. After that he ran one final check to make sure   
everything was in order, then knelt down beside Tima and in the end fell   
asleep.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Kenichi woke full of energy, he leapt up from his place on the floor,   
ran outside and called everyone to help. Today was the day he would   
awaken Tima. When Tima had been carried outside Kenichi touched a power   
cable to her head and waited. First off a quiet hum began to emanate   
from the centre of Tima's body, then was replaced by a soft whine. Next   
skin gradually began to spread from Tima's toes and fingers until her   
entire body was covered. Next hair sprouted from her head, billowing   
into its old shape and blowing in the breeze. Kenichi was holding   
Tima's hand all this time, a smile on his face and tears in his eyes.   
Once all this was complete Tima's eyes slowly opened, the red dots   
fading to be replaced by a deep green corona. Tima was alive again.  
"Tima...?" Kenichi asked hesitantly.  
Nothing. Again Kenichi called to Tima and again there was no response.   
After a short time Kenichi began to cry, his arms around Tima and   
continuously begging her to come back. An hour later Kenichi stopped   
trying to wake Tima and asked the others to carry her downstairs. There   
he connected her to his terminal and ran scan after scan trying to find   
out what was wrong. He could find nothing. Tima's memories were all   
there, her systems were functioning properly, the control routes were   
clear, there was nothing wrong. Kenichi even sent several cries of   
"Tima!" to her emotive systems, but nothing ever responded. Eventually   
he shut down the terminal and sat at his desk crying.  
Then an idea hit him; Kenichi remembered the piece of equipment Tima had   
trailed behind her as she had attacked him. He knew it was in the room   
somewhere, he remembered stuffing it in a box. When Kenichi found it   
hidden in a pile of junk in a corner, he recognised it immediately. It   
was a transmitter. From this Kenichi started to develop the craziest   
plan he had yet come up with. If that was a transmitter, could it be   
the logic systems had, after failing to uncouple her emotive systems,   
somehow managed to push Tima's mind out of her body and into the   
worldwide network. It would explain the unknown source puzzle   
perfectly. The unknown source was the last link between Tima and her   
body, which was severed when her fuel cells failed and she fell from the   
Ziggurat. Tima was lost somewhere in the global computer network, and   
Kenichi would find her!  
  
  
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Well? How was it? R&R please! 


	3. Chapter 3

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Disclaimer: *Sigh* I do not own any of the characters/concepts/names mentioned in this fanfic. Well perhaps the ones I thought of, but otherwise none.  
  
Right. Chapter 3's done. Much better than chapter 2, sorry about that one.  
  
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Suffering… cold… silence. All these things she felt. Memories and images flashed   
through her mind, each inspiring for the briefest moment a thousand feelings,   
happiness, sadness, love, realisation, then disappearing, out of reach where they could   
never be touched, and every time were accompanied by terrible, blinding pain and   
confusion.  
What are these things…? I know what they are… no… I don't. Where am I? What is   
this place? I fell from the Ziggurat and… Ziggurat? What…? Aaaahhh! I'm   
burning! Help me! Kenichi! Ungh… It stopped… Kenichi… Who is…? What…?  
"Who am I…?" she seemed to have spoken the words, without even knowing she had,   
and yet they screamed from her mouth, jarring her very mind.  
Kenichi… that word… It makes me feel something…  
And so her torment continued. The word her only constant. Always making her feel   
something, its name on the tip of her tongue, yet ever unknown.  
"Tima?" the sound tore around her like a hurricane, then silence.  
  
* * * * *  
  
"What the-?" Kenichi exclaimed.  
Aki stood on the tips of her feet trying to see the screen.  
"What is it Kenichi? A problem?" she asked.  
"Sort of. I sent the call into the system, and then I was disconnected,"  
"How odd… Nothing else?"  
"Nothing. No errors, just a 'Disconnected' report,"  
"Well, the network is unstable right now. The Ziggurat's mainframe collapse started   
some kind of storm."  
Kenichi sighed, "At this rate I'm going to have to try and use the throne."  
"Kenichi, we'll find something else, the throne's too dangerous. What if it tries to   
integrate you like it did Tima?"  
"… Maybe we should just send another probe. This time I'll record everything it   
sends back, perhaps then if it gets disconnected again we can find out why."  
  
* * * * *  
  
She didn't know how long it had been, just that she was in tremendous pain. A short   
time ago the images had started to make some degree of sense. She could recall parts   
of memories, all followed by a great, inexplicable sadness. A boy grasping her hand   
and yelling that 'Tima' word. That same boy kneeling before her and saying "Say I   
am…". A young man looking coldly at her over a short metal tube with a handle. A   
man with a beak like nose gripping her shoulders and telling her she was   
'superhuman'.  
'Kenichi' was beginning to mean something too. Each time she thought of the word   
she longed for someone. All she wanted to do was find that someone and curl up in   
their arms, be shielded from all these things that were hurting her.  
Again "Tima?" screamed around her, and again was shortly followed by silence.  
  
* * * * *   
  
"There again! The probe just disappeared!" Kenichi tapped in a command and the   
screen filled with text.  
"Well?" Aki was still standing on her toes.  
Kenichi read out the list, "66:78:56: Location 'Tima' location request sent, 66:78:60:   
Data received, 66:78:62: Data received, 66:78:63: Warning: stack overflow,   
disconnected from remote host."  
"What's that mean Kenichi?"  
"Well, the first data burst contained an encoded response, the second was just a mass   
of corrupt information. It crashed my connection. A shockwave."  
Aki stepped back and looked at Kenichi, "What's in the encrypted one?"  
"Let's see… Ahah. Simple algorithm… 'Who…' WHAT THE-!?"  
"What's wrong Kenichi?"  
Kenichi had turned suddenly pale, "Wh-Wh-Who…am… I…?"  
"Weren't those Tima's last words?"  
"Yes…"  
"Then we've found her!"  
Kenichi turned and looked Aki in the eye, "No. This is some kind of malfunction. A   
pulse she's generating without knowing it. The worst thing is these data shockwaves   
are tearing up the network, and if they keep up Tima will destroy it along with   
herself."  
"How long do we have?"  
Kenichi lowered his eyes, "A week at most…"  
  
* * * * *  
  
The pain still continued, each time she started to become used to it a whiplash would   
run through her, jarring her into further torment. Her whole body seemed to be on   
fire, if it weren't for the image of the strange boy who had called her Tima, she would   
probably have given up and slipped away a long time ago. But he was there, and she   
felt she had to be with him. She had put the Kenichi word to the boy now. She new it   
was his arms she wanted to shield her, but she didn't know why.  
"Who am I…?" once again the words ripped from between her lips like a desolate   
scream.  
Slowly she was becoming able to feel her body again, but could not move more than a   
little. She seemed to be under constraint, and whenever she tried to move she would   
be held in place at her wrists by something rough and itchy.  
Kenichi… please… whoever you are… please help me…  
  
* * * * *  
  
"I guess that's it then Aki." Kenichi turned off his terminal.  
"Yes. Every time we send a probe into find her, it just disappears. How are we going   
to fix the throne?" Aki was fiddling with a piece of cable.  
"I'm not sure. I can't disconnect the integration systems; too much of the throne is   
run by them."  
"What about an attack of some sort? Some kind of virus?"  
"If I damage the security protocols protecting integration so that I could reprogram it,   
I might not be able to repair them… If that happened the throne's protection would go   
down and if even a bad package was received I'd be disconnected. I don't know what   
that would do to me."  
"Perhaps you could defend yourself?"  
"Maybe…"  
  
* * * * *  
  
She could see now, although there wasn't very much to look at, especially with the   
haze left by each stab of pain. From what she could see, she was suspended in the air,   
with no sign of any floor. She was tied at the wrists and ankles to a large wooden disc   
with a metal design tracing out the cross shape her restraints held her in. Her wrists   
and ankles were red and sore from rubbing against the ropes.  
Where… am I? What is this?  
"Kenichi…"  
Why do I call for him… wait… I remember! Kenichi! He could save me!  
"Kenichi! Kenichi!"  
Where is he? He was always here…  
As Tima began to realise Kenichi wasn't there to protect her, she began to panic.   
Before when he was imprisoned, Emny had distracted her from that fact, but now   
Kenichi wasn't there to keep her safe, and she so needed him.  
Another torrent of pain ripped through her, this time leaving her gasping for air when   
it had passed.  
They… They are getting worse…  
As the pain receded, leaving only the old burning, Tima began to cry. Her eyes   
became blurred as she hung from her restraints.  
"Kenichi…" Tima sobbed, "Kenichi… please Kenichi where are you? Kenichi don't   
leave me here alone…"  
Still there was nothing but the cold and her tears. Tima was terrified, like a lost child.   
All she wanted was for Kenichi to hold her, look after her.  
  
* * * * *  
  
"Kenichi…?" Aki walked into the little room that served as Kenichi's study,   
workroom and bedroom.  
Kenichi switched off his terminal and walked over to Aki, "What is it Aki?"  
"I want to ask you something."  
"Of course. Here sit down." Kenichi sat on the edge of his bed.  
Aki jumped up beside him, "Why do you want so much to save Tima?"  
"Huh? Well… I'm not sure. I guess I just want her safe."  
"Like a sister?"  
"Er… not exactly. I just…"  
"Oh. You're in love with her."  
At this Kenichi blushed heavily, "No! I'm not…! I mean I…"  
I'm not in love with Tima… am I? Surely I cant be…  
"What's wrong Kenichi?"  
"Nothing Aki. I don't know why I'm looking for Tima. I just want to know she's   
okay I guess."  
  
* * * * *  
  
"There! It's ready. This virus should attack the security systems and I'll be able to   
get at the integration protocols."  
Kenichi punched in a number of commands and the 'bomb' was on its way.  
"How long until we know?" Aki was in the chair at the terminal as Kenichi moved   
back and forth between it and the throne.  
"An hour or so. I'm just worried about how well those defensive programs I wrote   
will work. They're supposed to interface with me and obey my commands, but it's a   
quick job. I don't even know if they'll be able to connect to what's left of the security   
systems."  
"How do they work?"  
"I'm not really sure myself. The throne visualises data… so I suppose the defence   
programs will either come out as a weapon or some sort of guardian."  
  
* * * * *  
  
Tima had cried herself into silence. Every now and then she would murmur   
"Kenichi…" and a tear would fall, but otherwise there was nothing but silence.  
Was she dying? Had the pain finally won? Perhaps she should just give up…  
No. She wanted to see Kenichi. Tima couldn't understand why but she had to see   
him.  
Again "Who am I…?" screamed from her mouth, forcing it so wide it felt as if her   
jaw would break.  
"Kenichi… please…"  
  
* * * * *  
  
"Got it!" Kenichi exclaimed as a small octahedron ceased flitting about and fell to the   
ground.  
Aki's voice resounded across the field, "Good shot Kenichi, upgrading to level three."  
The octahedron faded away. "It'll take me a little while to reset the system. Check   
the defence programs in the meantime."  
Kenichi sat down on the grass and turned the slightly oversized sidearm over in his   
hands. It was hard to believe none of this was real, and that outside this simulation,   
the gun he held was nothing but a string of words and numbers. The weapon had a   
simple handle and trigger arrangement, a box with a screen on top displaying a stream   
of data, and a short, thick sided barrel. The information displayed on the screen was   
the encryption algorithm which, when fired at a target temporarily paralysed it while   
it interpreted the data.  
Kenichi pressed a button just below the screen calling up a status report.  
So far so good… Hm… Slight problem with the algorithm rotation, nothing to bad…  
"It's ready Kenichi. Engaging."  
A spike covered ball materialised a hundred metres from Kenichi, then flew straight at   
him. Diving out of the way Kenichi swung round and pulled the gun's trigger. The   
barrel glowed for a moment, then with a snap a ball of light the size of a ping-pong   
ball flew towards his assailant, missing by less than an inch.  
Aki's voice called down sounding a little worried, "Kenichi are you okay? I didn't   
think the virus would be so vicious. Remember, it's a live one. Should I disengage   
it?"  
Kenichi ducked as the flailing virus went for his head.  
"No it's okay Aki, I can handle it."  
Again the virus flew at Kenichi. This time however he was ready and fired three   
shots into it's front. Immediately the virus froze in the air, then fell to the ground.  
"Phew…" Kenichi wiped his brow.  
"You got it Kenichi! That's the tests over, the programs are fine!" Aki was jubilantly   
calling. "I'll just bring you back."  
"Finally I can go and look for her…"  
"Um… Kenichi?" Aki sounded confused.  
"Yes?"  
"Is anything strange happening at your end? I can't disengage the program."  
"No nothing."  
"Strange… Kenichi something's happening! The virus is doing something to the   
system, it's changing. I think it's going to try and attack again."  
Spinning around Kenichi saw the virus was changing. Instead of being a simple ball   
it was beginning to resemble a stubby headless humanoid, with square, jointless tubes   
in place of arms.  
Immediately Kenichi fired at the virus, but the attack simply dispersed across the   
virus' carapace.  
"Aki my weapon's not working, what's wrong?!"  
"The virus taken control of most of the terminal's resources. It's got enough power   
available to it to decipher the algorithm instantly, and can now predict its   
interpretation. The defence programs just became invalid!" Aki's voice was   
panicked.  
The virus walked toward Kenichi whirring viciously. Its arms now glowed at their   
tips in a similar way to Kenichi's gun.  
"Aki can't you do something?! It's going to fire!"  
"I'm trying to re-encrypt the algorithm but it'll probably just decipher it again."  
With a familiar snap two blasts of white energy rocketed toward Kenichi. He dived to   
the right, but not fast enough as the second blast slammed into his chest throwing him   
backwards.  
"Kenichi! Kenichi are you alright?" Aki asked.  
"Ow… I'm okay. Looks like the secondary defence programs blocked the hit. But   
they're gone, it seems they couldn't decipher the attack's code and crashed."  
Kenichi snapped off a shot at the maddened virus but once again the attack simply   
faded over its body.  
"Aki, just clear the data and send it something invalid!"  
"What?"  
"A bad command, a corrupt package, how should I know?!"  
Again the virus's weapons fired on Kenichi, this time barely missing him.  
"What about an unsolvable problem?"  
"Perfect! Load it into the weapon!" Kenichi yelled ducking a swipe from the virus.  
"Encrypting… done! I've reconfigured your stunner to fire the code. But Kenichi,   
this'll delete the virus completely…"  
"I'm not one for mindless destruction either but we've no choice."  
Kenichi jumped out of the way of the virus' attack, angled the weapon, and pulled the   
trigger.  
With a loud bang a beam of light tore from the stunner's barrel striking the virus' rear.   
Moments later the virus stopped attacking and began to writhe uncontrollably as bolts   
of energy flickered around it. In a second the virus appeared to dissolve and fade   
away, accompanied by a slightly anticlimactic hiss.  
"Ahhhh…" Kenichi collapsed. As he lay on the grass panting he looked at the   
stunners display. Between the carrier and execution codes was a short arithmetical   
problem to be sent to the virus' tiny emotive protocols: 'Joy + Sadness = ?'.  
  
  
  
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Hope you enjoyed it! R&R would be really good. Please help me out and tell me where I'm going wrong! Or just compliment if you can, that'd be great! 


	4. Chapter 4

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Disclaimer: I do not own Metropolis. Happy? Sheesh...  
  
Another chapter uploaded! Right now the only reason I'm writing in chapters is to make reading a little easier, and to keep up a steady post rate.   
  
As ever, R&R is really appreciated, I'll take any flames in my stride (I hope). Enjoy.  
  
*********************************************************************************************************************************************  
  
  
  
"Okay it's ready." Kenichi said typing in the final few commands and sending them   
to the throne. He and Aki turned to watch as the throne, silent for so long, once again   
began its ominous activation cycle. The throne's headrest began to fan out as two   
poles slipped from its sides. A pair of conductors rose up above the seat, and the   
poles were covered by a metal coil, hundreds of wires, and finally a protective shell.   
The seat inset to almost perfectly fit Tima's small body. Kenichi looked at the   
infernal contraption in disgust.  
Seeing Kenichi's expression Aki touched his arm, "Kenichi it can't hurt you. You   
disabled the integration systems."  
"I know Aki… but it… it seems like some monster waiting to pounce. How must   
Tima have felt to have been forced to sit in it…?" he shuddered.  
"It's the only way to bring Tima back. It may have harmed her once but… maybe   
now it can save her."  
"…You're right."  
Kenichi stepped up to the throne's side and began to sit down. Just before his hand   
touched the arm he stopped. Was this machine really safe…? Kenichi shook his head   
violently, sat down, and braced himself for what he was afraid was about to happen.   
Nothing. Slowly Kenichi opened his eyes to see Aki standing before him.  
"See?" she said.  
Kenichi nodded and reached up above his head for the neural relay they had taken   
from an old medical centre. For some reason, Kenichi was far less afraid of this   
shoddy contraption which he shouldn't in reality trust as far as he could poke it with a   
stick, than he was of the throne.  
Pulling the sieve like helmet down over his head, Aki made sure all of the attachments   
were in place, then stepped back.  
"Ready Kenichi?"  
"Yes."  
"Good luck." Aki activated the connection program.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Tima was hanging silently from her bonds, drifting in and out of consciousness.   
Constantly she would feel herself slipping toward oblivion, but every time she came   
close she would remember Kenichi, and decide she had to be close to him just once   
more, even if she may not be able to hold on past that moment, rather than have   
everything simply end. There were so many questions she had to ask him, so many   
things to tell him and… she wanted Kenichi to hold and shield her. Tima desperately   
wanted Kenichi to tell her everything would be fine.  
A warm feeling swept through her. Something in this world felt different. She could   
feel a presence a great distance away. Somehow it felt so much like Kenichi.   
Immediately she raised her head and looked around her. She couldn't see anything   
but perhaps, just perhaps…  
Tears came to Tima's eyes. She could feel him now. If she reached out toward the   
presence she could feel Kenichi. Being able to touch the glowing warmth of his   
presence seemed to numb the burning and acted as a teddy bear would to a small   
child. He was coming, she just knew it. Kenichi was coming to find her.  
  
* * * * *  
  
For a moment Kenichi was bombarded by what seemed to be the entirety of   
Metropolis stretching out before him. Miles upon miles of buildings swirling and   
bending in some surreal world, then with flash of white he was standing in an   
alleyway. In his hand was the stunner, and all around him was a faint glow.  
At the end of the alley hundreds of robots moved backward and forward along one of   
the roads that criss-crossed the city. It was as if Kenichi was once again in walking   
through Metropolis only instead of being jostled by humans, he was being jostled by   
many thousands of robots.  
"TIMA?" Kenichi yelled.  
Silence. Well, he had expected as much. But where to start looking?  
"Aki, any idea where Tima is?"  
Aki's voice filled his ears. It was as if she was speaking directly to his mind.  
"No Kenichi. The best I can suggest is to just keep walking until you come across   
something. Also, another shockwave is due any time now. Try to avoid exposing   
yourself and stay close to shelter."  
"Alright… Here goes." With that Kenichi stepped out into the crowd and was swept   
away.  
Kenichi tried to move with the robots but it was impossible. They were all moving as   
one, and he could do little but allow himself to be dragged along. Up ahead of him   
was a parking area of some kind where all manner of robots, or as he was coming to   
realize programs, were being picked up by bus like vehicles at intervals. Seeing this   
area as a chance to take stock of his surroundings, Kenichi began to fight his way   
towards the pick-up point, and eventually managed to drag himself from the flow.  
One of the buses drew to a stop in front of Kenichi, and before he new it he was being   
dragged forward again. He hadn't seen this coming, in fact Kenichi had been hoping   
for a few moments respite. One thing was sure though, he didn't want to get on that   
bus. He had no idea where it would go, or what would happen when he got there. If   
that vehicle was a databus, as he thought it was, it might even take him to a deletion   
point.  
Kenichi began to struggle franticly, but to no avail. The swell of robots was sweeping   
him toward the door in the bus's side and there was nothing to hold on to.  
"Aki! Can't you do something?! Help!" Kenichi called out.  
Again his ears were filled by the little robot's voice, "Kenichi what's going on?   
You're to deep for anything more than text transmission!"  
"I'm being dragged into what looks like a databus, and- What-?"  
What appeared to be a wall of wind was roaring down the street towards Kenichi,   
throwing programs in all directions. As it bore down on Kenichi he realized the wall   
was the shockwave, and as it struck him, Kenichi heard the words "Who am I…?"   
scream around him, then all was black.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Tima was smiling. It had been so long, so very long, and she had felt so terribly   
lonely… but that was over now. Kenichi was there, she could feel him. Even though   
she couldn't see him, his thoughts reached out to her, and she happily basked in their   
warmth.  
It was like one joy after another, first that feeling of hope in the dark time when Tima   
hung crying silently, lifting her away from the oblivion she could not resist, the   
realization that it was Kenichi who had brought forth that feeling, that he was coming   
to find her, and now the warm embrace of his presence, and if she closed her eyes, her   
imagination allowed her to almost see him with her, or rather almost feel his arms   
holding her in a protective embrace, fighting away all of her fears. The best part was   
the knowledge that soon Tima wouldn't have to use her imagination anymore; very   
soon Kenichi would really be there with her! Caressed by these happy thoughts she   
slowly closed her eyes and, for the first time since she had found herself in this   
terrifying place, Tima fell asleep, and dreamt happily.  
In her dream nothing was different. She still hung from her bonds, she was still   
surrounded by cold and darkness, but somehow it just didn't seem to matter anymore.   
Kenichi's presence shielded her from it all. She was so calm, like a little girl in the   
arms of her parents.  
Again she closed her eyes, but now instead of Kenichi, she could feel a terrible   
blackness pulling at her. Desperately Tima tried to open her eyes, but suddenly they   
would do nothing she told them. She tried to resist the pull but she simply wasn't   
strong enough. Terrified, Tima cried out for Kenichi, but still she could not find him.   
The blackness was close now, waves of freezing cold swirled around her and Tima   
was becoming panicked. Just as she felt the touch of the blackness a great warmth   
moved to shield her from its influence.  
"Kenichi!" Tima cried, her terror immediately changing to joy.  
Defeated, the darkness faded away, and all that was left was the presence. Slowly it   
turned to face her, and Tima could almost see Kenichi standing before her, a kind   
smile on his face.  
"Kenichi…" Tima whispered.  
Slowly Kenichi walked forward and placed his arms around Tima. Oh so tenderly he   
lowered her head onto his chest and gently held it there. Tima felt safe and warm, and   
her mind thrilled at the touch of Kenichi's.  
Tima awoke with a start. She could barely feel Kenichi anymore. What had   
happened? Again Tima's eyes began to fill with tears and a loneliness began to rise   
within her.  
"Kenichi?" she called.  
Tima searched desperately for his presence, and after a short time she found him. He   
seemed so tired, as if he himself were finding it hard to gather the strength to stay   
alive.  
As her mind touched the presence however, she began to feel its strength once again.   
Kenichi was still there, and his strength was slowly coming back to him. Her fears   
allayed, Tima relaxed as Kenichi's presence once more began to glow, whatever had   
been wrong had now faded away and his thoughts still soothed her.   
  
* * * * *  
  
"Kenichi? Kenichi what happened is everything alright?" Aki's worried voice   
dragged Kenichi back to reality.  
"Ow… Ugh… No, not really Aki. Oh my head…" Kenichi slowly sat up. He was   
lying against a pile of rubble at the side of the road; dismembered programs were all   
around him.  
"Well, you're alive at least. Your shield took most of the damage, but I'm afraid it's   
crashed and won't be fully operational before the next shockwave. You're going to   
have to be a lot more careful."  
"That's twice the shield's saved me…" Kenichi suddenly jumped up, then fell back   
down again clutching his head, "Uhn… Aki how long have I been unconscious?!"  
"Two hours."  
"Great… How long do I have left?"  
"Thirty one hours, although the network you're in at the moment isn't going to   
survive the next shockwave so you'd better leave soon."  
"Okay."  
Kenichi lifted himself to his feet gingerly fingering his head. He looked around him.   
All about was a scene of complete destruction, not a building was left standing and a   
huge rent ran down the middle of the road as far as the eye could see. In the distance   
a faint shape would flicker and appear every few moments. On Kenichi's second look   
he realized what it was. The Ziggurat was towering over the city.  
"Aki… Why does the Ziggurat keep appearing?"  
"That part of the network's in a worse state than I thought. What you're seeing is a   
frozen image of the shockwave's entry port. Apparently the network server barely   
has enough memory to support a basic system. I'd give it an hour at most."  
"Maybe if I went to the entry port it would take me to the centre of the network and…   
Tima."  
Aki's voice was apologetic, "Kenichi… that area's dead. Anything that gets near it   
just crashes so you're going to have to find another way round."  
"So, which way do you think I should go?"  
"Either direction ought to be fine for now, just get yourself as far away from that part   
of the network as you can."  
"Okay." Kenichi spent a moment carefully deciding his course.  
"…so out goes you," he muttered before heading for the left hand junction.  
As Kenichi walked down the road his thoughts were interrupted by a low whine.   
Looking around him Kenichi drew his stunner nervously.  
"Aki, what's that noise?"  
"We've got trouble Kenichi. It looks like the antivirus protocol's quarantine area just   
collapsed. It's released three viruses into the server, two of them are blocking the   
entry ports, and the third's looking for you." Aki said.  
"Well it just found me!" Kenichi quipped as a bolt of corrupt data whizzed passed his   
ear. A piece of wall exploded behind Kenichi sending rubble flying in all directions,   
but the remnants of the shield easily blocked this non-malicious threat.  
Facing down Kenichi was what looked like a communications robot, but with two   
startling differences. Where hands should have been its arms ended in weaponry, and   
on it's otherwise handsome face the virus wore an evil grin. Over its eyes were a pair   
of goggles, and covering its body were a sleeveless metal vest and a pair of jeans. On   
it's feet were a pair of metal boots. Apparently this particular virus had already   
infected and bound itself to a program.  
"Aki…? Anything helpful?"  
"No Kenichi, just blast that thing. It'll only need one hit."  
Again Kenichi dived aside as another shot nearly hit him.  
"Be careful Kenichi! You're shield still isn't ready for that sort of punishment!"  
"I know!" Kenichi pulled the stunner's trigger. The barrel glowed for a moment then   
with a snap the algorithm flew towards the virus.  
A look of boredom clouded the virus' features and it stepped aside the shot, but just   
before it was out of the way, something strange happened. It's features changed to an   
expression of pain, and the dark set of its face faded away. The virus groaned quietly   
as it struggled to move, and with a sudden yelp of pain it was knocked over by the   
stunner's blast.  
Kenichi ran to the program's side and knelt down.  
"Aki, will he be alright?" he asked worriedly rolling the program onto its back.  
"Yes for now."  
"Uhn…" the program lifted himself to a sitting position and raised his goggles, "What   
happened…?"  
"You were infected by a virus. I just paralysed it." Kenichi helped the program to its   
feet.  
"Thank you. Wait what's going on? Where am I?"  
Kenichi looked puzzled, "You mean you don't know?"  
"I don't remember anything."  
"Kenichi this is amazing!" Aki sounded astonished.  
"What's the matter Aki?"  
"That carrier program just achieved sentience! The virus somehow bonded to its   
neural net and is working like a human mind!"  
The carrier program looked confused, "Whose voice was that?"  
Kenichi turned and smiled. The program appeared to be a young man, about four   
years older than Kenichi. He had waist length platinum blonde hair, slightly pointed   
ears, a kindly face, green eyes, and his skin was an unnatural pastel brown.  
"That's my friend Aki."  
"But where is she?" the program asked.  
"Outside."  
"Where?"  
"It's hard to explain. What's your name anyway?"  
"My name? It's… I don't know."  
"Oh sorry. I guess you don't have a name do you?"  
"No."  
"Hey Aki, you think we should give him one?"  
Aki sounded excited, "That's a great idea! Let's see… how about Koh?"  
Kenichi turned to their new friend, "What do you think?"  
The carrier program seemed to mull it over for a while, then finally said, "It sounds…   
good."  
Kenichi grinned, "That's settled then! You're name is Koh!"  
Suddenly he stopped smiling. This whole situation reminded him of Perro. It was   
almost exactly the same… Oh for Uncle Shinsaku to be here now. He'd be a great   
help. But he wasn't there and that was that. Shinsaku was in another world, hundreds   
of miles away. Kenichi would have to deal with this himself, something that in the   
past he had not shown much talent for… He had failed to protect Tima three times   
now… he had gotten Fifi shot… No! He shouldn't be thinking about those things.   
Fifi had come out okay in the end… and now was his chance to put everything else to   
rights. Kenichi was going to find and save Tima this time.  
Kenichi clenched his fists, "Yes…"  
"Are you alright?" Koh asked.  
Kenichi realized he must have been silent for quite a while and felt a little   
embarrassed, "Oh, um… Heh, I'm okay Koh. I was just thinking about something."  
"Well, alright…"  
Aki's voice was suddenly in their minds, "Look you two, I hate to interrupt but the   
network is on the brink of collapse. Do you think you could continue the   
conversation while you walk?"  
Kenichi grinned, "Sorry Aki. Come on Koh, you'd better come with me."  
Koh looked puzzled, "Why?"  
"I'll explain everything along the way. It's quite a long story."  
  
* * * * *  
  
The two walked in silence. A short time ago Kenichi had finished recounting his   
tragic misadventures, and afterwards neither he nor Koh could think of anything to   
say.  
They were nearing the exit port now, and it was a good thing too. All around Kenichi   
and Koh the network was failing. After the third piece of masonry went crashing onto   
the pavement they had decided it would probably be safer to walk down the middle of   
the now silent road, only moving away to find another path during the times they   
discovered part of the road had faded to nothing, blocking their path.  
After a long time Kenichi broke the silence with a sigh.  
"What's the matter?" asked Koh.  
"Oh I was just thinking about seeing Tima again…"  
"You really do love her, don't you Kenichi?"  
Kenichi's felt his face becoming hot, "Well I… I don't really know…"  
"Yes you do Kenichi. It's obvious."  
"What do you mean?"  
"Tima. You see? I do as little as mention her name and you can't help but smile.   
Your cheeks redden, your eyes glaze over, and you become almost oblivious to the   
world… Kenichi?"  
Kenichi let out a heartfelt sigh.  
At this Koh began to laugh, swiftly followed by Aki. Disturbed from his   
daydreaming by all the noise Kenichi looked at Koh, "What's so funny?"  
Wiping a tear from his eye Koh suppressed his laughter, "You! I mention Tima's   
name and you become completely oblivious! Boy, I can't wait to meet her if just   
thinking about her does this to you!"  
Kenichi was blushing and grinning like an idiot now, "Oh Koh stop teasing me!"  
"Alright Kenichi I'll stop. But I doubt you'll get a similar offer from your little friend   
at the terminal!" Koh jerked his right arm up toward the sky.  
"Pipe down Aki, please!" Kenichi's embarrassment was growing by the moment.  
"Hehe… Okay Kenichi… Grmph… I'll try…" Aki's giggling quieted a little but was   
still openly distinguishable.  
"Bah. Hey Koh?"  
"Mm?"  
"How is it you know so much about that sort of thing anyway?"  
"You know I'm not sure. I guess that virus had some sort of memory of all the   
systems it had visited, and when it became my mind I inherited that knowledge."  
"It sounds like you're mind spent a lot of time hanging around a romantic novelist's   
terminal or something." Aki suggested.  
"It'd explain why our friend here's such a romantic." Kenichi said with a smile.  
"Yeah…" Koh murmured.  
"By the way. Can you take those off?" Aki asked.  
"What?" Koh cast a glance over his body.  
"Those guns."  
"Oh these? No. I don't have hands."  
"Speaking of your weapons Koh, I need to run a test." Aki said.  
"Yes?"  
"Shoot something."  
"Well okay." Koh levelled his arms and fired on a nearby building. The blast released   
by his cannons vaporised a large chunk of the structure.  
"I thought so. Your weapons are still viral. Anything they hit that isn't protected by   
some pretty heavy shielding will be instantly deleted. Is it okay if I reprogram them   
so that they can only paralyse?"  
"Please do Aki. I don't want to be responsible for anymore destruction." Koh's face   
became clouded.  
"You weren't Koh. Really. The virus became your mind. It wasn't you before all   
this happened." Kenichi touched Koh's arm.  
"I'm initiating the procedure. You won't be able to fire them for a little while." Aki   
said.  
  
* * * * *  
  
"Now what do we do?" Koh asked as he and Kenichi hid behind a pile of rubble.  
"How should I know?" Kenichi looked frustrated. The virus guarding their chosen   
exit port was huge, about twice Koh's height and carrying not only double blasters but   
a hefty shielding system as well. Without Koh's weaponry there was no way he and   
Kenichi could match it, and they didn't have time to wait for Aki to finish   
reprogramming them or to try the other exit. The network was in a terrible state. In   
fact the only functional area left was the small area around the exit ports. Everything   
else would periodically disappear with very little chance of reappearing.  
"Aki how smart is that virus?" Kenichi asked quietly.  
"Not very. Simple carrier program designed to seek important data. What's making   
it so huge is its payload."  
"The word overkill springs to mind." Koh muttered ruefully.  
"Can't we trick it somehow?" Kenichi wondered.  
"Maybe." Aki said.  
"Why don't you send something big to get its attention?" Koh suggested.  
"You know that might just wok! Let's see… Kenichi how about your logs?"  
"Can you back them up?"  
"Some of them, but there isn't time to do it completely."  
"Well… alright, just get as much of the important data as you can."  
"Okay, data sent. I'm backing it up as it's uploaded."  
About a hundred feet away a glow could be seen, steadily growing larger. At first the   
virus didn't pay it any attention, but as the light grew stronger it seemed to become   
more and more agitated. Eventually the virus stopped guarding the exit port and   
wandered off in search of the source of the glow.  
"It worked Aki! Come on Koh let's get going." the two of them stood up, ran over   
to the small tunnel in front of them, and climbed in.  
  
  
  
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I was kind of pleased with this chapter for some reason. Hope you enjoyed it too. As I said, R&R please! 


	5. Chapter 5

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Disclaimer: (Does anyone know if we actually have to put these stupid things in?) I   
don't own Metropolis, or any of the characters or concepts (Except perhaps Aki, Koh,   
Kenichi, and the Metropolis network idea). Bah.  
  
Well, this is a real short one. It's been three weeks and I thought I'd better put this   
chapter up before I get cut off down at my boarding school again. The firewall down   
there is such a pain, more then half the sites get filtered, and FF.net only loads about   
half-way before it says something about 'A system call that should never fail has   
failed' (?). Not to mention, it's probably far more appropriate to write the entry into   
the Ziggurat's mainframe as a separate chapter.  
  
Anyway, one short (and relatively pointless but for continuity's sake) chapter coming   
up. Enjoy!  
  
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"Not far now Kenichi!" Aki said cheerfully.  
"Oh that's great Aki! Did you hear that Koh?" Kenichi asked, turning to his   
companion.  
"Huh? What?" Koh jumped, startled out of his reverie.  
"Aki says we don't have much farther to go."  
"Oh, that's good…" Koh looked ahead.  
"What's the matter anyway Koh?" Aki asked.  
"What?" once again Koh hadn't been listening, "Oh, I was just wondering what we   
might find when we reach the Ziggurat."  
"Don't worry. I've already scanned ahead," Aki sounded confident, "All that's left of   
the Ziggurat's mainframe is a lot of corrupt memory, with Tima right in the middle."  
"What bothers me is why the Ziggurat's still there at all." Kenichi said looking   
thoughtful.  
"There's probably a low priority server running in a basement somewhere. By my   
guess the Ziggurat was at least seventy five percent computer, and fifteen percent of   
the tower is underground." Aki answered.  
"You know Aki, ever since I came in here, you've been the one with all the answers,   
and I've been the one with little understanding." Kenichi said laughing.  
"Well, from your terminal I do have access to pretty much the entire network, well   
what's left of it anyway, and with all those security override codes you compiled from   
the throne's memory I can enter any system I need to." Aki once again had the   
answer. Her authoritive tone very nearly set Koh off laughing. Even though the   
group were having to keep to dark alleyways and side roads to avoid being swept   
away, for some reason it never did seem to affect their spirits.  
"Just around this next corner!" Aki said expectantly.  
What awaited the group around that corner was hardly what the group had expected   
for one of the major access points to the Ziggurat. Instead of the hundreds of robots   
pouring in and out of the huge tunnel, there was almost nothing moving. All that was   
there were piles of dismembered programs.  
"It looks like this port's dead." Kenichi said forlornly.  
"But if it's dead how are we going to get in? This server isn't going to survive long   
enough for us to find another!" Koh looked more than a little worried.  
"Don't worry you two!" Aki said calmly, "This port isn't dead. It's just that the   
shockwave came through here recently, that's all."  
"Oh." Koh said, embarrassed.  
"Well come on don't just stand there!" Kenichi turned and walked towards the port.  
"Whatever you say Mister knight in shining armour." Koh jibed.  
"Hey!"  
  
*********************************************************************  
  
Hope somebody out there enjoyed that. I think it was okay for a get from A to B   
chapter. Actually this chapter was going to be longer and more interesting, but   
somehow it just didn't work out. I think I ran out of ideas. Don't worry;   
chapter six will be up pretty soon now that they're in. 'Can't say exactly how long   
though.  
  
Reaalis 


	6. Chapter 6

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Disclaimer: Why bother?  
  
Well, chapter six is done. I'm not ending the story here, however I thought it had been so long that I had better post something or you all  
might think I've given up!  
  
Here you are. I hope the ending's okay, it was pretty difficult, but I think it came out alright.  
  
********************************************************************************************************************************************  
  
  
  
Two figures stood looking out across a vast expanse of rubble. All around them was   
nothing but the aftermath of a massive explosion. Towards the centre of it all stood   
the skeletons of two towers, and around those two hulks that apparently were once   
similar lay in ruins. A little away from these dead giants lay one more tower, more or   
less intact but laying flat out on its side and contorted in places, torn from its   
foundations and thrown for hundreds of metres. Here and there a destroyed program   
could still be seen, but nearly all of the Ziggurat's programs were buried under   
thousands upon thousands of tons of wreckage.  
"What happened here…? It's worse than it was in our world…" Kenichi breathed,   
aghast.  
"Aki when you said corrupted, I couldn't even imagine this is what you meant…"   
Koh too, was stunned.  
"Tima… Aki, are you sure she's alright?" after seeing the destruction Kenichi was   
beginning to panic, how could Tima possibly have survived such…  
"She's fine Kenichi. You see that dark area above what used to be the Ziggurat's   
spire?" Aki asked.  
"She's in there, isn't she Aki?" Kenichi murmured.  
"Yes. The darkness is drawing energy from her directly. She must still be strong to   
support a drain that big," Aki's tone was reassuring.  
No one said anything for a moment. Then just as Koh was about to suggest they start   
out towards the towers, a flicker of light ran across the dark ball's surface.  
"It's the shockwave! Koh, Kenichi, get into cover fast!" Aki apparently had not   
expected another so soon.  
Without another word Kenichi and Koh charged into the rubble, desperately trying to   
find somewhere safe to hide themselves.  
  
* * * * *  
  
"Who am I…" once again Kenichi heard Tima's voice, however this time, rather than   
being all around him the words roared over him. He and Koh had taken shelter   
underneath a nearby pile of rubble, but even then there had been a few tight moments   
when it had felt as if their hiding place was about to cave-in.  
"Was that Tima…?" Koh asked.  
"Yes. That was Tima's voice," just as Kenichi finished speaking his voice cracked.   
He seemed to be holding back tears.  
"Kenichi…" Aki whispered.  
Kenichi shook his head, "I'm okay Aki… Come on let's go."  
Kenichi and Koh crawled out of their hiding place and once again began to walk.   
After half an hour of walking they came to a large chasm. It stretched away far below   
them, and neither Koh nor Kenichi were able to see the bottom.  
"It's null memory," Aki said, "It's completely corrupt. Anything that falls down there   
is instantly deleted."  
"How do we cross?" Kenichi asked.  
"It looks as if the crack doesn't stretch far. It should be easy to get around it."  
"I suppose…" Koh turned and began walking once again, followed by Kenichi.  
  
* * * * *  
  
"So… How do we get up there again?" Koh was staring up at the remains of the   
central tower.  
"I think one of the fire escapes is still intact until it reaches the floor below Tima,   
from there I guess you'll just have to climb," Aki said.  
Kenichi and Koh walked into the tower. Again they were surrounded by destruction.   
Wherever Kenichi looked he could see a dismembered robot of some description, and   
here and there sections of the building would suddenly disappear before his eyes.  
"How much longer will this tower survive Aki?" he asked.  
"Long enough..." Aki didn't sound very confident.  
  
* * * * *  
  
"How many more floors are there?" Koh asked sounding petulant.  
"Three." Aki answered, "…Kenichi are you all right?"  
"Why? What's wrong Aki?" Kenichi asked, worried by Aki's sudden change of tone.  
"Your vitals… Your adrenaline levels are increasing fast."  
"It's alright Aki. Kenichi's just getting excited about seeing Tima again." Koh said,   
stopping and leaning against the wall.  
"Oh, of course," Aki said teasingly. Kenichi blushed.  
"Oh come on!" Kenichi said starting ahead suddenly, "Fine, I can't wait to see Tima   
again! Now can we get going?"  
"Hah! Alright then Kenichi, let's go," Koh said grinning.  
  
* * * * *  
  
"Well, here we are," Koh said stopping at the top of the pile of rubble he and Kenichi   
had climbed, "I think it's your place to go through first Kenichi."  
"…Thanks Koh," Kenichi said climbing past him.  
Kenichi stuck his head through the hole in the ceiling and looked around a little.   
"Tima?" he called.  
"…Kenichi…?" a voice murmured from somewhere behind him.  
"Tima!" Kenichi shouted leaping through the whole and running towards the voice.   
He was afraid to believe the voice he had just heard was Tima's. It was so quiet   
Kenichi couldn't be sure if he'd really heard it.  
As he ran a light area began to appear ahead of him, slowly becoming brighter as he   
approached.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Kenichi ran into the circle and stopped suddenly. Hanging before him and glowing   
brilliantly was Tima, tied to some kind of wooden disc and deadly still.  
"…Tima?" Kenichi asked hesitantly, touching her arm.  
Without a sound the disc slowly faded away. Tima still hung from her bonds,   
however gradually a form seemed to be coming out of her body. As the shape began   
to take on human form it lost the glow it had taken with it from Tima. And after a   
short time the entire area was pitch black.  
"Aki… Can you do anything about this darkness?" Kenichi asked, wondering what   
had happened to that person who had come from his friend.  
"I've changed you're stunner a little Kenichi. Move the switch on the side to change   
between flares and databursts," Aki said.  
"Thanks Aki. Where's Koh?" Kenichi asked suddenly realising his friend hadn't   
followed him.  
"He's coming Kenichi. We just thought we should let you go alone at first. Do you   
need him?"  
"Perhaps. Something strange is going on," Kenichi flicked the switch on his   
weapon's side and fired upwards. Instantly a shining ball of light flew into the air and   
stopped a hundred meters up, illuminating the area around Kenichi, who immediately   
changed the weapon back to normal and began to charge it.  
A few meters in front of him stood a shadowy figure. Its profile was that of a child,   
however the way it held itself exuded an air of maturity. It had no visible hair and   
was very slim, and its eyes seemed to glow faintly.  
"Why are you here?" the figure said in a cold, synthetic sounding voice.  
"What…?" Kenichi still couldn't see any more than a silhouette of the person before   
him.  
"Kenichi, is everything alright?" Koh asked running up beside Kenichi.  
"I don't know Koh…" Kenichi said staring at the shadowy figure.  
"I asked you a question. …Hm? You're not a program are you?" the figure took a   
step forward so that one of its legs was in the light. It looked to be made of black   
metal.  
"No…" Kenichi said, no longer sure of himself, "I'm not a program."  
"Then answer my question. Why are you here?"  
"I'm here to rescue Tima." Kenichi said.  
"Tima…? Oh that little brat,"  
"Brat?!" Kenichi exclaimed, instinctively raising his gun.  
"Yes. Brat." the figure took another step forward revealing itself. Kenichi took a step   
back in surprise.  
"Y-You…" he stammered.  
Standing at the edge of the flare's light stood Tima. Or at least Tima as she would   
have looked without her skin or hair, and without her artificially coloured eyes. What   
stood before Kenichi was her skeleton.  
"You're that program aren't you… the one that killed Tima… the one that took…   
took…" Kenichi stammered.  
"The one that took that annoying child away from you? How perceptive. I recognise   
you now. You're the one that broke my connection to the throne. I had the world at   
my fingertips before you interfered. It looks like we both have a reason to hate each   
other," the figure growled.  
"But you killed her!" Kenichi yelled, levelling his weapon at the program.  
"Please, she wasn't even alive. If she had been alive, surely that bullet would have   
killed her."  
"It all but did," Koh too began to charge his cannons, "Because of that bullet, her fuel   
cells malfunctioned and she ran out of power."  
"And Tima was alive! She had a heart!" Kenichi cried bitterly.  
"A heart that was undoubtedly stolen from some poor unwitting child. Who knows   
how Laughton's supplier came by it. Grave robbery? Or perhaps even worse…"  
"What do you mean?!" tears were running down Kenichi's face.  
"Perhaps that even now beats in the little abomination's body was acquired through   
murder,"  
"What!" Kenichi leaped forward, Koh immediately restrained him.  
"Kenichi can't you see. She's trying to lure you into a rage. Then she can simply kill   
you," Koh told him sharply.  
"Oh but I'm not. I'm simply forcing him to realise the truth. That little brat… that   
murderer's prodigy, she's meaningless. All that matters is her body. That personality   
program was there only so that a sad, lonely old man could have five minutes with a   
crude reflection of his daughter before he plugged her into the throne and destroyed   
her forever. I'm Tima! I'm really her personality! That monstrosity hanging over   
there isn't even complete without me! And from what I've seen while I was draining   
her, the throne damaged her anyway! At least a quarter of her's been destroyed! This   
is what Tima is really like!" and with those words she made a throwing motion   
towards Koh. The air before Tima's hand rippled spherically and the distortion shot   
towards him.  
"Koh!" Kenichi yelled trying to reach his friend.  
It was too late. While Kenichi was still several feet away the ball struck Koh's chest   
and passed straight through him, leaving a massive rent behind it.  
Koh screamed. Inside the tear in his body was nothing but darkness.  
"You!" Kenichi turned and ran at Tima, firing wildly.  
Every shot simply rippled across her body.  
"Ha! You see what I can do! If that child hadn't interfered when I was trying to kill   
you, and you hadn't simply let her fall, I might still have had a chance of interfacing   
with the throne."  
"I tried to save her! I tried so hard…!" Kenichi sobbed.  
"But you failed. You didn't save her and that's all that matters. You don't deserve to   
rescue her!" Tima walked towards Kenichi, who was now on his hands and knees.  
Kenichi could tell what was coming. He could here the noises made by Tima's   
mechanics as she raised her arm to strike him. He heard the rush of air as she brought   
her fist down towards his neck. He squeezed his eyes shut unable to stop the   
inevitable blow. But it never came. Kenichi raised his head to see what had   
happened. Tima was still standing over him, her arm was inches from his neck, but   
something in her face was different. Where a moment ago had been a look of cold   
hatred, there was now an expression of shock. Following her gaze Kenichi saw that   
where her hand should have been, all there was a stump of burned wires.  
"Kenichi…" Koh groaned from somewhere behind him.  
Kenichi rolled and moved away from Tima who was even then cradling her arm and   
looking for another method of attack. Keeping a careful eye on Tima, Kenichi knelt   
beside Koh, who was lying with his arm pointing towards her.  
"Kenichi… I'm sorry. I realised how ineffective your stunner was against strong   
viruses and I only let Aki change one of my blasters."  
"I'm glad you did," Kenichi said smiling.  
"Listen Kenichi. I'm going to shut down now and preserve what energy I have left.   
But take my arm." Koh lifted his right cannon towards Kenichi.  
"Koh, I can't…"  
"Yes you can. Just turn it round and it comes right off. All you need to do is place it   
on your arm and will it to fire. But wait until I've shut down. The whole thing hurts   
quite a bit."  
"…Alright Koh. Thanks."  
"Anytime Kenichi…" and with that Koh shut down.  
"Koh…" Kenichi murmured unscrewing his friend's weapon and placing it over his hand.  
"Kenichi." A voice called teasingly.  
"You!" Kenichi swung around and fired on the voice.  
The shot was poorly aimed and was wide by several feet. Tima walked out into the   
fading light of the flare.  
"You're going to have to do a lot better than that Kenichi." Tima scolded throwing a   
couple of blasts at him.  
"You killed her! She was innocent! She never did anything to hurt anyone!" Kenichi yelled,  
ducking and firing another easily dodged blast.  
"That shell was never alive! It's personality was a farce," Tima laughed, leaping into   
the air and hurling another blast at Kenichi.  
"Tima is Tima!" Kenichi dropped to the ground and ran at her.  
"Come and get me then, you weakling." Tima giggled.  
Hurling a punch Kenichi flew at Tima. Instantly she dodged behind him and kicked   
him head over heels.  
"You can't even touch me!"  
Kenichi was running out of time. He had abandoned his stunner and light was fading   
fast. In a few more minutes the flare would have faded completely and he would be   
defenceless. He had to do something to stop Tima dodging his attacks.  
"Please… let me have Tima back." Kenichi begged, hoping against hope that it would   
be that simple.  
"And be denied my revenge against the two of you? Never! Even as she sleeps I am   
forcing images of you're pain into Tima's mind. I will make her watch as I slowly   
kill you, and then I will kill her too." Tima hurled yet more blasts at him.  
"No!" Kenichi screamed avoiding the blasts and opening fire.   
Dodging Kenichi's frantic shots at her Tima closed the distance between them.   
Before Kenichi could even realise how dangerously close she was, Tima had him   
pinned on his back and winded.  
"Now…" Tima whispered forming a ball close to Kenichi's face and letting it skin the   
tip of his nose, "Now I will take back what you stole from me."  
Seeing his chance as Tima dropped here guard to strike the killing blow and fighting   
against his lack of breath, Kenichi raised Koh's blaster.  
"I won't let you hurt Tima…" he gasped and fired, angling the blast at her head and   
keeping his face as far away as he could.  
It only took a second. The beam shot from the blaster's barrel engulfing Tima's head.   
All Kenichi could make out from the chaos was an enraged scream, and then Tima's   
headless body collapsed against him.  
  
********************************************************************************************************************************************  
  
As I said, it's not over yet. And by the way. Just in case you're confused, Tima is okay. The one that was killed was the other Tima. The person who came from Tima's unconscious body, which is still hanging where it was at the start. That still wasn't too well explained...  
  
R&R please. I'd really like to know what you all think of the chapter. 


	7. Chapter 7

*********************************************************************  
  
Well, here's chapter seven. It's kind of thrown together at the start but gets much   
better when it gets going. At least I think it does.  
  
Hope you guys like it!  
  
Also, thanks to:  
Xalan  
jester_of_gesture  
Moro Stagsleap  
Pace Star  
Shinigami  
Shiki Senritsu  
and Amy  
for all of the positive reviews, (especially Xalan who must have reviewed practically   
every time they read!) I could never have managed it without you all! Thank you!  
  
  
*********************************************************************  
  
  
Kenichi fell back against the floor, to tired to even lift Tima's dead body off his chest.   
He felt sick. This wasn't like the time he had deleted that rogue virus, this time he   
had really killed a sentient being. No matter what that program was or how much   
Kenichi hated it for what it had done to his friends, he still felt terrible.  
"Kenichi? Kenichi is everything alright?" Aki's voice suddenly cut into the silence.  
"Yes… Just about Aki," Kenichi answered, looking for his stunner. The flare's light   
was almost gone now.  
"Whatever was going on down there, I couldn't reach you. Are you alright Koh?"  
"Koh's had to shut down Aki," With great effort Kenichi finally managed to get out   
from under his dead adversary and walked towards Koh.  
"Why what happened?" Aki's voice was full of worry.  
"That thing almost killed him. I still don't know if he's going to be okay."  
"And… Tima?"  
"Tima!" Kenichi grabbed his stunner, let off a flare and ran towards the limp figure   
suspended a short distance away.  
Tima was still hanging silently. Kenichi thought her peaceful expression seemed a   
little out of place.  
"Tima?" Kenichi asked quietly. Nothing.  
"Tima?" Kenichi called to her, a little louder. Still nothing. A lump formed in   
Kenichi's throat as he realised how similar this all was to what had happened when he   
had revived her body. Carefully he undid the ropes holding Tima and lowered her to   
the ground, kneeling over her.  
"Please Tima, you've got to wake up," Kenichi shook her shoulders gently.  
"Uh…" Tima groaned quietly but did little else.  
With renewed hope Kenichi shook Tima again, this time a little harder.  
"Tima?"  
Tima's eyes slowly opened, trying to focus. Her face wore an expression of   
confusion.  
"Tima!" Kenichi yelled, the tears flowing freely down his face. He threw his arms   
around her and held her tight against him. He was a little surprised when Tima did   
not do the same.  
"Who… who…?" she whispered.  
Slowly Kenichi released Tima and moved back a little, still holding her shoulders,   
"Tima…? It's me, Kenichi."  
"Ken…i…?"  
Tima stood up unsteadily. Her confusion seemed to deepen and she began to cry.   
Seeing this Kenichi put his arms around her and once again held her close.  
"Tima what's wrong?" Kenichi asked, worrying why she had suddenly broken into   
tears.  
Tima put her arms around Kenichi's waist and gripped his back hiding her face in his   
shirt.  
"Kenichi. I think it's time to leave," Aki said. A distant rumble could be heard   
steadily growing louder, "I can't disconnect you inside that area, everything's too   
corrupt. You've got to get outside."  
"But what about Tima and Koh?" Kenichi asked looking from the sobbing girl to his   
half-dead friend.  
"Carry them!"  
"I can't do that! I've barely the strength to stand!"  
"Well drag them then. Kenichi you have to get out, the whole network's going to   
pieces!"  
Removing Koh's blaster and taking Tima's hand he pulled her stumbling behind him   
towards Koh. Grabbing Koh's arm and dragging him on his back Kenichi hauled the   
comatose program and Tima towards their entrance to the sphere. All around them   
holes were beginning to appear, shafts of light illuminating their way. Twice Kenichi   
experienced a moment of panic when a hole opened beneath either Tima or Koh, each   
time barely managing to keep Koh from slipping through and falling to the ground far   
below, or pulling back Tima who could do little more than stumble after him,   
seemingly blind to the danger around her. Tears were still streaming down her   
cheeks, and Kenichi's heart reached out to her even though there was little else he   
could do but keep tight hold her hand as he tried to keep Tima moving.  
"Aki, how much further?" Kenichi shouted, forcing himself to look away from Tima.  
"Not much longer Kenichi, just another hundred feet or so!" Aki called.  
Ahead of him another shaft of light was glowing, however unlike the others this hole   
was a regular shape. When Kenichi reached it, he was almost blinded by a sudden   
explosion of light as the upper part of the sphere dissolved.  
"Kenichi come on! We're almost out of time!" Aki shouted at him.  
"Aki can you download Tima and Koh into my terminal as I lower them out of the   
sphere?" Kenichi asked, already beginning to carry Koh to the edge.  
"Yes Kenichi. I've got a faint lock on Koh now. Just lower him through the entrance   
and I'll have him."  
As soon as Koh's feet were a few inches out of the sphere they began to dissolve, the   
wave moving slowly up his body as more and more of it was downloaded. After a   
few moments Koh was gone, leaving Tima and Kenichi.  
"Koh really is in a bad state… Okay Kenichi, it's Tima's turn."  
Kenichi lifted Tima up under her shoulders and began to lower her through the hole.   
The instant Tima saw the hole beneath her she gasped in terror, threw her arms around   
Kenichi and held on tight.  
"Aki, Tima won't go, I think she's afraid," Kenichi said, patting her gently.  
"Can't you make her?"  
"No, she won't let go of me."  
"Go back into the sphere and wait. I'll try and catch you as you fall."  
"Aki are you sure?" Kenichi asked. To him the whole idea sounded suicidal.  
"No. But it's the only chance we have. Wait as long as you can and then jump."  
"Alright…" Kenichi manoeuvred Tima into a more comfortable position and made   
his way as deep into the sphere as he could.  
Kenichi stood holding Tima as close to him as he could, and she certainly seemed   
happy to return his embrace. Sections of the sphere were disappearing all around   
them now, and Kenichi knew that at any moment they might fall. If that was going to   
happen then he was falling with Tima. He couldn't bear the thought of leaving her   
alone amid such destruction.  
Suddenly the ground below Tima disappeared and Kenichi was only just quick   
enough to catch her before she fell. Instantly Tima had buried her face against   
Kenichi and was crying again. Kenichi felt terrible for her, to wake up from a long   
sleep and suddenly find everything falling apart around her.  
"Come on Tima it's alright. I'm here. As long as I'm here, I won't let anything hurt   
you," Kenichi said, stroking Tima's hair and holding her gently. He   
felt that he couldn't bear to be even an inch from her now, not now that he had finally   
found her. Tima quietly raised her eyes and gazed into Kenichi's for a moment, then   
seeming to relax laid her head against him again.  
Cracks suddenly spread across the entire walls and floor of the sphere, and with a   
great crash the entire area shattered around them.  
Just before they fell Kenichi heard Tima murmur, "Wh-wh…a…I…I…" and she   
began to cry even harder, as if reminded of something horrible.  
"Here we go Tima…" Kenichi whispered to her, holding her tight against him, "Aki   
now!"  
"Targeting… Kenichi Tima's fading in and out, I can't lock onto her, and her   
shadow's disrupting your tracer beacon!"  
"What?!" Kenichi began to panic.  
"Tima's mind is a program. I think she's so afraid she's subconsciously trying to hide   
from my tracer!"  
The air was rushing by them fast now. Kenichi still couldn't see the ground but he   
new it wouldn't be long before he could.  
"What do I do?" Kenichi yelled against the roar of the wind.  
"Try to calm her down!"  
At that moment Tima reached upwards and looked at a point just past her hand,   
whispering "Ke…chi-…."  
"Tima…" Kenichi said thoughtfully, "Wait a minute," Kenichi said looking at Tima   
again, "Aki I think she's remembering when she fell from the Ziggurat!"  
"It's up to you Kenichi, either you calm her down or you both die!"  
"Tima, come on, that won't happen again. Didn't I tell you I'd keep you safe?"   
Kenichi said softly to the panicking girl he held in his arms. Looking below over his   
shoulder, Kenichi could see vague shapes looming in a dark mist, becoming ever   
more visible.  
"Tima, I know how scared you must be, but please, please, don't be frightened. I   
came so far to save you, I won't abandon you now! Even if Aki could save me   
without you, I would never leave you!" Kenichi pulled Tima's arm back down and   
embraced her again.  
"Ke…i…" Tima looked up and stared into his eyes.  
"That's it Tima…" Kenichi whispered, brushing a stray lock of hair back, "You don't   
have to be afraid. I won't ever let anything hurt you. Please come back with me."  
With a sigh Tima laid against Kenichi's chest. Kenichi looked down at the ground   
and realised he only had a few more moments. Placing one arm around Tima's back   
and with his other stroking her hair, he called out, "Aki?"  
Tima was happy. She could no longer see what was going on around her as she had   
her face buried in Kenichi's shirt, and in fact she had never actually understood since   
Kenichi woke her up, but he was with her now. Nothing else mattered. Kenichi   
would keep her safe.  
"I've got you both!" Aki cried jubilantly. The pair began to dissolve. Kenichi looked   
down at his feet from where the wave was slowly moving up his body, then down at   
the ground. They weren't going to make it!  
"Aki, it's not going fast enough! Can't you do something!"?  
"I can shut everything else down, but it could be-"  
"Do it!"  
Instantly the glowing energy field Kenichi and Tima had been sharing disappeared, as   
did all of Kenichi's clothing. Tima seemed a little surprised at the change in how   
Kenichi's chest felt, but luckily was feeling too safe and cosy to open her eyes, in fact   
she was practically asleep. Kenichi himself hadn't noticed the change, he was to busy   
looking around him. Suddenly the pair were surrounded by all manner of strange and   
menacing looking shapes, which Kenichi later decided, with hindsight, were all of the   
viruses and corruptions the shield had been hiding them from. The wave was moving   
much faster now, and they were inches from the ground. To Kenichi it actually   
seemed, as the wave dissolved the last of his and Tima's bodies, that they were   
actually disappearing into the ground, it had been so close.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Back in Kenichi's room, Aki was sitting watching her screen, which was white and   
empty, but for Koh's unconscious from.  
She stood up in the chair and looked intensely at the screen. Two bodies had   
materialised in front of her, and Aki saw Tima first, still wearing the baggy clothes   
that had been borrowed from Atlas and looking very confused.  
"Hello Tima," Aki said then she looked at Kenichi, "Welcome back Keni…" her   
voice trailed off.  
"What?" Kenichi said, looking at the face hovering in the little box in front of him.  
Aki stared for a second, then began to giggle uncontrollably.  
"Look what's so funny?" Kenichi said turning away from Tima to face Aki.  
"Eep!" Aki jumped back and fell over the chair, rolled across room and lay back   
against the bed in hysterics.  
"What on Earth…?" Kenichi wondered aloud as he looked at himself to see what was   
so funny. Then he noticed.  
"Ah!" Kenichi yelled quickly covering himself with his hands. Them he noticed   
Tima, who was staring at his back.  
Kenichi was silent for a moment and then, "…Aki... WHAT HAPPENED TO MY   
CLOTHES?!"  
  
  
*********************************************************************  
  
  
Hehe, well, things were getting a little serious. Again, thank you to all those who   
reviewed, or for that matter to all those who just read the story!  
Again, R&R please, I'd really appreciate it.  
And don't you dare even think this story's over! I've still got to write in Tima's   
reinsertion into her body among other things. Though that may take a little while, but   
stick with me! 


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: See chapter 1.  
  
Finally! Chapter 8's finished.  
  
Thanks to:  
  
Xalan (as ever)  
Death-bunny Bishoujo  
Daiosharune  
Whoever it was reviewed anonymously  
Catherine Perey  
Rini Sayian-jin,  
  
for their reviews.  
  
And to Daiosharune,  
  
First, the to and too thing. The two words are for different situations. To: As in, 'I   
am going to school.', or 'I am going to do some work.'. It's used when writing about   
doing something.  
Too: As in: 'There are too many.', or 'Are you going too?'. Too's used when talking   
about numbers (usually in a bad way, i.e.: too few, too many), or instead of writing   
'as well'.  
But about the words I've missed, what sort of words? It'd be really useful if you   
could give me some idea. Not a list or anything, just a couple of examples. And   
thanks, this is the first really critical review I've had. Not that I don't appreciate any   
other kind of review just as much!  
  
And Death-bunny Bishoujo,  
  
Nope I checked. In the beginning Tima does say, 'I am who?' after she repeated Kenichi's  
question, 'Who... are you?', but at the end the exact words were: "Who-who am I-I?"  
Thanks for the review though!  
  
Here you are then. Chapter 8:  
  
  
*********************************************************************  
  
  
"…and you're sure you two are okay?" Aki asked.  
"Yes we're fine Aki. Koh's resting now but I'm going to stay up a while longer, at   
least until Tima gets to sleep." Kenichi said, turning and smiling at the figure sitting   
and looking around wearing an expression that made her look like she had just opened   
her eyes for the first time. He was standing in the centre of the screen looking out at   
Aki through the small box that served as a window into the real world.  
"Will you be coming out once she's asleep?" Aki asked.  
"No. I'm going to stay here and look after Tima for the time being, at least until I   
have to come out to help you. Oh and Aki?"  
"Yes?"  
"Something's the matter with Tima. She can't quite seem to understand what's going   
on around her, and her speech has been funny ever since she woke up. Can you run a   
scan and see if you can find anything wrong?"  
"Okay. See you tomorrow then."  
"Goodnight Aki," the picture in front of Kenichi disappeared, he turned and walked   
back to Tima.  
As Kenichi knelt down beside her Tima looked up at him. He couldn't help but smile   
at her as she shuffled up beside him.  
"Ke…i?"  
"Yes Tima?" Kenichi answered looking sideways at her.  
This was all Tima seemed to want to hear. She sighed quietly, leaned against   
Kenichi, and fell asleep. Kenichi soon followed.  
  
* * * * *  
  
"Tima!" Kenichi yelled, sitting up suddenly.  
Rubbing his eyes and looking around, Kenichi realized it had all been a dream. But it   
felt so real, that…  
"Kenichi is something the matter?" Aki was at the terminal in moments.  
"No… I'm sorry I startled you Aki, it was only a bad dream…" Kenichi looked down   
at Tima who was still sound asleep beside him. She must have been much more tired   
than he had thought to have slept through that. Koh was still sound asleep a few   
metres away.  
"Do you want to talk about it?"  
"Well… alright. It was like several dreams in one, and I was being shown images of   
what I guess were me and Tima's lives but…"  
"Go on."  
"… A lot of the images weren't good ones. Of course I dreamt about bringing her   
back and what I would do when I had but there were other things. The Ziggurat being   
active with armed robots pouring from all the entrances, Tima and I crying together,   
and the worst was the two of us standing against hundreds of enemies, robot and   
human alike, and I had some kind of energy weapon and a sword and was guarding   
Tima's back but she… she had a pair of blades on her arms, and her eyes were   
glowing and all around her was death and… and…" Kenichi couldn't say anymore, he   
looked down at Tima and sat silently.  
"Oh…" Aki seemed lost for words. The usual, I'm sure it was just a dream just didn't   
seem appropriate.  
After a few moments Kenichi pulled himself together and faced Aki, "Were you able   
to find anything wrong with Tima?"  
"Yes. Various program modules are missing or partial all through her mind.   
Especially in the speech, audio/visual recognition, memory, and most of the fuel   
controls, as well as a few of the cognitive functions."  
"Well the others we could repair in time, and the memories are all backed up in her   
body, but without the controls for the fuel systems we can't reinsert her mind or she'd   
be a walking bomb," Kenichi shook his head.  
"I'll call up the readout for you Kenichi. See what you can make of it," Aki said.  
"While you're doing that, do you think you could change the surroundings to   
something more homely? This stark emptiness is starting to give me a headache."  
  
* * * * *  
  
"Well Aki, you've outdone yourself," Kenichi was sitting at a desk in a room, which   
looked for all the world like a nineteenth century study combined with a bedroom of   
the same era. Half of the room contained three large beds lined up against the wall,   
two of which were occupied by Tima and Koh, a large wardrobe with a mirror in the   
door against one wall, and a painting of a sunset over the Metropolis skyline on the   
other. Kenichi had wanted to put up a picture from his homeland but Aki had vetoed   
him saying that Koh and Tima would find it a lot nicer to have something they knew   
well to look at, and besides she thought it was a lovely picture. The other half of the   
room held the desk at which Kenichi was sitting, a beautiful mahogany affair with   
three draws down either side, lit by a banker's lamp in the right hand corner and with   
a holographic computer interface in the centre, which somehow managed to blend   
into the room's rustic look. The only other things were a mahogany dining table with   
three chairs, and a huge bookcase that covered two of the walls, and contained   
hundreds of books covering almost as many subjects, such as 'A History Of   
Metropolis', 'Robots and You', 'The Collected Works Of William Shakespeare', and   
'Duke Red, A Biography' which was next to 'Bird Physiology Volume XII: Beak   
Structure'. This was a joke on Aki's part, and after she had drawn his attention to it   
Kenichi found it hard to go near and keep a strait face. The room's wallpaper was a   
deep red colour, decorated with a simple floral pattern, but the dominating feature was   
the fireplace. It was an example of expert woodworking, its dark wood decorated   
with a simple but elegant flowing pattern, and containing a roaring fire, which   
provided the room with most of its light, but for a pair of gas lamps on either side.  
"…Coolant Systems Control Module: Nominal, Fuel Systems Control Module: Error:   
Corrupt. Let's see what's the matter…" Kenichi muttered hunched over the screen,   
"Oh… it's almost all missing. I don't think I can repair it."  
"Kenichi… isn't there something in Dr. Laughton's notebook that could…"  
Kenichi cut her short, "No. It's a record of Tima's construction, not her   
programming. Oh isn't there anything we can use…?"  
"Didn't you tell me that when you fought that program, she said 'Tima isn't even   
complete without me', or something like that?" Aki asked, her expression changing   
from sad to hopeful.  
"You're right! We've still got that back up of the override program that we made just   
in case somewhere haven't we?"  
"So if the missing portions of Tima's mind are part of the program, then we can   
merge the two and restore her!" Aki was already digging around in the messy storage   
space near the terminal.  
Kenichi's face suddenly darkened, "But we'll have to be very careful. Unless we can   
find a way of making Tima dominant over the override program, this whole mess will   
start again."  
"I'm going to seal off a section of the room. Tomorrow morning I'll release the   
program into that protected memory and we can make the adjustments. But now   
Kenichi please, get some sleep." Aki said, taking on a parental sort of tone.  
"Alright Aki I will," said Kenichi standing up with a yawn and stretching, "No need   
to nag."  
"Humph. That's what you think." Aki muttered, disappearing from the screen.  
Kenichi walked across the room, tucked Tima in, got into bed, and fell into a deep and   
mercifully dreamless sleep.  
  
* * * * *  
  
"…Ke…i? Ken…chi?"  
Kenichi felt himself being shaken gently, "uhn… five more minutes Uncle…" he   
murmured.  
Tima stood blankly for a moment, then started again.  
"Ke…ichi?"  
"Huh…? Tima?" Kenichi sat up in bed.  
"Whe… ar… we?"  
"In a room Aki made for us."  
Tima knelt down on the bed beside Kenichi, "I …ouldn'… sl...p."  
"Come on," Kenichi climbed out of bed and guided Tima to hers.  
As soon as Tima was settled and Kenichi had tucked her in again, he sat down on the   
edge of the bed beside her. Not knowing what else to do, Kenichi stayed quietly   
where he was until Tima was asleep. Then he climbed into his own bed hoping to   
make the best of what was left of the night, knowing that if all went to plan the next   
few days were going to be very busy.  
  
  
*********************************************************************  
  
  
As ever, reviews are really appreciated! And they actually help me come up with   
stuff sometimes too. Thanks too everyone who read the story.  
  
Happy New Year! 


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: …see chapter 1…  
  
Chapter 9's finally done! I'm really sorry it took me so long. Things haven't been   
going to well at school lately and the only time I've been able to do any work is late at   
night.  
  
I hope Mom's not reading this…  
  
Anyway, thank you to Xalan and Inu-Adrienn for their reviews. You guys make this   
so much easier. Enjoy!  
  
*******************************************************************************************  
  
"There we go," Aki said as the cuboid sealed itself off from the rest of the room.  
"So where is it?" Kenichi asked, looking into the partition. All that was there was a   
cluster of dots, about fifty in all.  
"The virus is there. However since it's no longer running the visualisation program   
can't get any information from it to give the virus a shape."  
"I guess it's probably for the best…" Kenichi turned to look at Tima, lying on one of   
the beds. She had been put to sleep for the procedure to avoid her having to go   
through the shock of meeting the virus again.  
"So how long's this going to take?" he asked, watching as the formless cluster of dots   
moved aimlessly within the partition.  
"I've no idea. Probably not that long once we've customised the virus."  
Kenichi sat down at the desk. Trailing from the sealed memory to his terminal were   
two cables, one green and one red. Neither looked quite right, sort of out of place.   
This was to some extent true, as unlike the rest of the room they weren't themed, and   
so appeared almost ethereal.  
Calling up two windows, one for Tima and one for the virus Kenichi began work.  
  
* * * * *  
  
PROGRAM STATUS REPORT  
PROGRAM: 'TIMA.ari'  
  
SYSTEM MODULE STATUS:  
  
EMOTIVE SYSTEMS CONTROL MODULE: NOMINAL  
GYROSCOPIC SYSTEMS CONTROL MODULE: NOMINAL  
OPTICAL SYSTEMS CONTROL MODULE: NOMINAL  
COOLANT SYSTEMS CONTROL MODULE: NOMINAL  
FUEL SYSTEMS CONTROL MODULE: ERROR: CORRUPT  
GROWTH SYSTEMS CONTROL MODULE: NOMINAL  
EXCRETORY SYSTEMS CONTROL MODULE: NOMINAL  
LUBRICATION SYSTEMS CONTROL MODULE: NOMINAL  
LOGIC SYSTEMS CONTROL MODULE: WARNING  
EFFICIENCY ERRATIC  
SENSORY SYSTEMS CONTROL MODULE: NOMINAL  
MEMORY SYSTEMS CONTROL MODULE: NOMINAL  
SELF REPAIR SYSTEMS CONTROL MODULE: NOMINAL  
AUDIO INPUT/OUTPUT SYSTEMS CONTROL MODULE: WARNING  
EFFICIENCY ERRATIC  
  
CORE MEMORY STATUS: INCOMPLETE  
RETRIEVED DATA:  
PARTIALLY RETRIEVED KENICHI.bio  
PARTIALLY RETRIEVED TIMA.his  
FULLY RETRIEVED TIMA.per  
PARTIALLY RETRIEVED GENERAL LOG FILES BETWEEN 1 AND 684362134  
  
CURRENT PROGRAM MODE: SLEEP  
  
* * * * *  
  
VIRUS STATUS REPORT  
VIRUS: 'intconovr'  
  
STATUS: INACTIVE, LOCKED  
  
PROGRAM MODULE STATUS  
  
EMOTIVE CONTROL MODULE: NOMINAL  
OPTICAL CONTROL MODULE: NOMINAL  
LOGIC CONTROL MODULE: NOMINAL  
SENSORY CONTROL MODULE: NOMINAL  
MEMORY CONTROL MODULE: NOMINAL  
AUDIO INPUT/OUTPUT CONTROL MODULE: NOMINAL  
INTERFACE CONTROL MODULE: NOMINAL  
SECURITY OVERRIDE CONTROL MODULE: NOMINAL  
SELF REPAIR CONTROL MODULE: NOMINAL  
  
SYSTEM CONTROL MODULE:  
  
EMOTIVE SYSTEMS CONTROL MODULE: NOMINAL, INACTIVE  
GYROSCOPIC SYSTEMS CONTROL MODULE: NOMINAL, INACTIVE  
OPTICAL SYSTEMS CONTROL MODULE: NOMINAL, INACTIVE  
COOLANT SYSTEMS CONTROL MODULE: NOMINAL, INACTIVE  
FUEL SYSTEMS CONTROL MODULE: NOMINAL, INACTIVE  
GROWTH SYSTEMS CONTROL MODULE: NOMINAL, INACTIVE  
EXCRETORY SYSTEMS CONTROL MODULE: NOMINAL, INACTIVE  
LUBRICATION SYSTEMS CONTROL MODULE: NOMINAL, INACTIVE  
LOGIC SYSTEMS CONTROL MODULE: NOMINAL, INACTIVE  
SENSORY SYSTEMS CONTROL MODULE: NOMINAL, INACTIVE  
MEMORY SYSTEMS CONTROL MODULE: NOMINAL, INACTIVE  
SELF REPAIR SYSTEMS CONTROL MODULE: NOMINAL, INACTIVE  
AUDIO INPUT/OUTPUT SYSTEMS CONTROL MODULE: NOMINAL,   
INACTIVE  
  
DIRECTIVES:  
  
1: UPON ACTIVATION, REVIEW STATUS OF ALL MODULES  
  
2: SEARCH FOR FILE: 'TIMA.ari'  
  
3: UPON DETECTION, INTERFACE WITH FILE  
  
4: INITIATE SECURITY OVERRIDE, PASSWORD: rockaku  
  
5: UPON ENTRY BACKUP VIRUS 'intconovr' AND CLOSE DOWN EMOTIVE  
SYSTEMS OF HOST  
  
6: CLOSE DOWN OWN EMOTIVE CONTROL MODULE  
  
7: SHOULD UNEXPECTED RESISTANCE ARISE AT ANY POINT  
DISCONNECT FILE 'TIMA.ari' ALONG WITH BACKUP OF 'intconovr'  
FROM HOST AND TAKE OVER ALL FUNCTIONS  
  
8: SEARCH FOR AND INTERFACE WITH REMOTE HOST: 'ZIGTHRONE'  
  
9: FOLLOW RECEIVED INSTRUCTIONS  
  
* * * * *  
  
Kenichi had never realised Tima's programming contained a complete override, and   
he quickly deleted it. But what he didn't understand was, if Tima could have been   
possessed so easily how did her emotive systems protect themselves? It was as if   
there was something else fighting the virus. This was the second time Kenichi   
had wondered about the presence of a true heart in Tima, but no matter how much he   
longed for and believed it to be true, he still couldn't think how. Could Dr. Laughton   
have programmed Tima for more than just control of the Ziggurat? If he had, the   
program was well hidden, much deeper than Kenichi could ever search. Probably   
spread across the whole of her system. All considered he didn't want to find it   
anyway. It felt as if he was violating Tima even now, but this much he had to do.   
Probing further would just be wrong. He continued working.  
  
* * * * *  
  
"Well Kenichi? Have you finished?" Aki appeared on the screen over Kenichi's   
work.  
"Almost Aki," he said stretching, "But I'm starting to feel really hungry. I thought   
you had me on a drip."  
Aki laughed, "Kenichi's appetite transcends the laws of reality! But seriously, it's   
just you're mind thinking it's about time to eat and not having any evidence to the   
contrary. I'll make something for you."  
"Thanks. By the way, have you found out what's wrong with Koh?"  
"Yeah. The blast just removed a few parts of his program, nothing irreparable. While   
you were working I've been replacing them."  
Kenichi smiled, "That's good."  
"Here you are." A sandwich and a glace of juice appeared on Kenichi's desk. They   
didn't stay there long.  
"Koh should be up and about in a couple of hours, as soon as I've run a few more   
checks."  
"I'll be done with Tima in an hour so. Once that's done, I'll come out and we'll put   
her back in her body, then I'll take her out of sleep mode. I don't suppose her room's   
ready yet is it?" Kenichi asked.  
"Yep, well, as best it can be. The bed's a little old, and the room hardly looks like a   
bedroom but home is where the heart is I guess." Aki answered happily.  
"Well then, let's wake Tima up in there. I doubt she'd find waking up plugged into a   
computer much fun."  
"Okay." Aki disappeared from the screen and Kenichi turned back to his last job,   
downloading Tima's memories from her body.  
  
* * * * *  
  
"Oh… my head…" trying to make his eyes focus, Kenichi reached up to put his hand   
on his aching head but found the way blocked by something cold and hard. Aki   
reached up and removed the neural relay.  
"It's bound to hurt at first Kenichi," Aki said sympathetically, "You've had a   
computer messing with your brain for several days. Now you just lie there for a while   
and get used to being real again."  
"Uhn… Aki? How did Tima's body react to getting her memories of when she was in   
the net?" Kenichi had sent the file over for convenience's sake, as well as to test the   
connections.  
Aki paused in the doorway, "Strangely. When the file came over Tima's body grew a little, and   
quite fast too. I suppose she was making up for lost time."  
Kenichi's head was starting to feel a little better now, and he sat up. He winced as   
Aki pulled the plastic tube from his arm and rapped a bandage around it. It didn't hurt   
as such; it just sent a sort of numbness through Kenichi's arm making him feel a little   
queasy.  
"You can take that off in a couple of days. Do you want to see Tima's room?" Aki   
asked.  
"Haha, yeah, let's see this project of yours then." Aki took Kenichi's hand and led   
him down the hall. Messy and dirty as this place was, Kenichi thought it was starting   
to feel sort of homely too.  
"Here we are!" Aki said pulling Kenichi round a corner.  
Compared to the one they had been sharing this was nothing, however, compared to   
Kenichi's room, Tima's was luxurious. The bed, unlike Kenichi's was more then just   
a mattress. It had two pillows, a much thicker blanket, and an actual frame with   
springs. The walls were bare metal, however Aki had done he best to distract from   
this. Against one wall stood a tall wardrobe, and next to it was a dresser. Neither of   
them were in particularly good condition but could still be used. Against the other   
wall was a table, and above it Aki had hung a painting of a meadow she had salvaged   
from the ruins.  
"Aki this is amazing…" Kenichi was astounded the little robot had managed all this.  
"Hehe... Thanks Kenichi." Aki said.  
Kenichi walked forward laying a hand on the desk, staring up at the painting.  
"Do you want to get started Kenichi?"  
"Yes let's…" Kenichi turned and left the room.  
  
* * * * *  
  
"Okay. All of the connections are fine, Tima's mind's showing up well too…" Aki   
was at the terminal again. Kenichi was busy lifting Tima's body from where it lay   
among some blankets on the floor and placing it upon the throne.  
"I'm ready over here too Aki. Do you want to start the download?"  
"Download commenced. Give it a few minutes and we'll be ready for activation.   
Kenichi?" Aki turned to look at Kenichi who had suddenly gone quiet.  
Kenichi was standing looking into Tima's eyes.  
"Kenichi is something the matter?"  
"I've just got this strange feeling… No I'm sure it's nothing."  
"Alright." Aki climbed down from the terminal and sat beside Kenichi on his bed.  
They were sitting for only a minute when the terminal made a noise. Kenichi walked   
over and looked at the appropriate screen.  
"Aki something's happening," Aki was at his side a moment later.  
"Download incomplete, retrying?" she called up Tima's Module status.  
"Could not interface with system?!" Kenichi shouted in disbelief.  
"Kenichi we have to hurry. Tima's body isn't designed to hold a link like that open   
for very long," Aki's voice was filled with suppressed fear. Once the file had been   
sent from the terminal, it couldn't go back.  
"Why now!?" Kenichi began typing furiously, exploring Tima's body trying to find   
the blockage.  
"I can't find anything wrong!" Kenichi was panicking.  
"What about the emotive systems? They're a real mess most of the time. What if   
something were stopping the connection from there?" Aki suggested.  
"I hope you're right Aki…" Kenichi was searching again.  
"It's there! That virus is attacking Tima again!" Kenichi yelled as the file name   
'intconovr' appeared on the screen.  
"How could it be? We spent days catching it!"  
"I don't know…" Kenichi was once again chasing the virus around Tima's systems,   
"How much longer?"  
"Five minutes." Aki said reading another screen.  
"This isn't going to work. I can't re-encrypt every system with so little time!"   
Kenichi was already starting to do this anyway.  
"Can't you just cut the virus off? Last time you chased it but surely if you could just   
trap it somehow…"  
"That's it Aki!" Kenichi began to type instructions. If he could seal the exit ports to   
Tima's emotive systems he could trap it and destroy it by shutting them down. He   
was going to make it.  
"The virus is sending instructions to Tima's emotive and sensory modules. It's starting   
them up!" Aki said in surprise.  
"So that's what she's doing…" Kenichi was still typing, "The virus knows I'm going   
to destroy it so she's trying to kill Tima by putting her mind into shock…"  
"What do we do?"  
"There's nothing we can do." Kenichi said gritting his teeth, "I hope she'll be   
okay…"  
"Twenty seconds…" Aki read.  
"There I'm done. But I wasn't fast enough to interrupt the virus' commands…"   
Kenichi sat back and watched as the download exploded into life, completing just   
moments before the link collapsed.  
"I'm starting up Tima's audio interface and logic systems Kenichi, you have to calm   
her down." Aki said. Tima's mind was thrashing around in it's disconnected half-  
sleep.  
Tima's mouth opened suddenly releasing the last part of a yell. Kenichi immediately   
grabbed her hand, "Tima it's alright! I'm here!"  
"Ke-Kenichi? What's going on? I can't see! I can't move!"  
"It's okay Tima. I'm right here…" Kenichi said softly.  
"Kenichi? Kenichi help!"  
It wasn't working. Tima just couldn't calm down. Kenichi gathered up Tima's limp   
body in his arms and held her against him, "Come on Tima hush. Everything's going   
to be fine… Aki turn on the gyros."  
"Yes Kenichi," instantly Tima began pushing and thrashing against Kenichi.  
"Come on Tima quiet! You have to calm down," Kenichi was struggling to maintain   
his hug.  
Aki broke in suddenly, "I can't bring her fuel systems online like this! The throne can   
only support her a little longer!"  
"Her eyes, do we have enough power?" Kenichi asked. If they couldn't get Tima   
back to sleep, her body would loose power and die.  
"No we don't! If you can't calm her in the next minute, I'll have to force Tima into   
sleep mode," both Kenichi and Aki new the possible repercussions. If improperly   
shutdown Tima's systems might be corrupted.  
Kenichi pulled Tima tight against himself, "Tima you have to trust me! You're safe   
here! I told you I'd keep you safe! Come on everything's okay, I'm here."  
At these words Tima stopped struggling and yelling and almost relaxed, "Kenichi…"   
she whispered.  
"Aki is that enough?" Kenichi asked balancing Tima against his chest.  
"Just. I'm shutting her down now. We can wake her up as soon as everything's   
working correctly."  
Kenichi relaxed and breathed a sigh of relief as Tima collapsed against him. It had been close.  
"How do you think the virus got in?" he asked.  
"Well… when we were making sure to get rid of it, I don't think we ever checked the   
throne. If the throne was where the virus came from in the first lace then…" Aki   
stood facing Kenichi, looking over the back of his chair.  
"I guess so." Kenichi muttered.  
"Get some sleep, we'll finish in the morning." Aki climbed down and left the room.   
Kenichi walked over to Tima, "I'm sorry Tima… I should have been more careful. If   
I had just scanned the throne…" Kenichi sighed. It was useless to think about it now.   
He climbed into his bed and quickly fell asleep.  
  
  
*****************************************************************************************  
  
Thanks again to all those who read. Once more reviews are very, very welcome!   
Chapter 10 shouldn't be too long coming. 


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I don't own Metropolis, but I do own this story!!!!  
  
This is it, the last chapter! WAFF writing's really difficult.  
  
Thank you to all those who reviewed, being:  
  
Amy (The first reviewer!)  
Xalan (Who's followed and reviewed nearly every chapter!)  
Heiwa Shima  
Shinigami  
Pace Star  
Moro Stagsleap (Don't worry, no more waiting for Tima to be restored!)  
jester_of_gesture  
Rini Sayian-jin  
Catherine Perey  
Daiosharune  
The Anonymous Fellow (Who didn't sign in any way at all, but I still loved the   
review!)  
death-bunny bishoujo  
Inu-Adrienn  
  
And of course to those who reviewed Tima's Log, this story's precursor:  
  
K**chan  
Silver Goddess  
Eve (I wish Eve had finished Blue Eyes… I want to know what she meant by the eyes   
having an important role in the story!)  
dara  
Heiwa Shima  
vashgirl  
Alex Warlon  
Lovely Elf Kurumi  
Daiosharune  
Inu-Adriennsama  
Bluestar  
Reaalis (What? ^^')  
Black Cherry Soda  
Toddy  
  
Enjoy! Man I hope this turns out all right…  
*********************************************************************************************  
  
The next morning Aki and Kenichi started work as soon as Kenichi woke. They   
started up the terminal and began what they both hoped would be their last checks.   
First Kenichi chased the virus from the throne's systems, then he and Aki ran a   
systematic check of Tima's systems.  
Turning to Aki, Kenichi said, "Well her body wasn't hurt, that's a relief."  
"But what about her mind?" Aki was standing on her toes to look at the screens.  
"I can't tell until we start her up Aki. We'll just have to wait and see," Kenichi   
sighed. If Tima had been hurt he would never forgive himself. It was his fault, if he   
had only been more careful…  
"Come on then Kenichi, let's move Tima into her room." Aki started to uncouple the   
throne. Kenichi stood up and helped her. In a moment they had Tima lying on her   
bed in her bedroom.  
"Well then, I'll let you do the honours," Aki held up a length of cable attached to a   
cluster of fuel cells.  
Sitting down beside her Kenichi gently turned back Tima's ear, "Come on Tima…"   
he touched the bear cable to the exposed socket. There was a loud whine and a bang   
from inside Tima and her eyes began to focus and unfocus. After a few moments they   
settled and Tima sat up slowly.  
"What…?" Tima said quietly looking around.  
"Tima?" Kenichi asked touching her arm. She turned to look at him.  
"Kenichi!" Tima yelled and threw her arms around him. Kenichi returned the   
embrace.  
"Tima…" Kenichi could hardly believe it. Tima was safe, here with him, and nothing   
had gone wrong!  
The two of them stayed like this for a while, then sitting back a little Tima asked,   
"When I was in that dark place I called to you but you didn't answer. Where were   
you? Was there something more important you had to do?"  
Kenichi felt a stab of guilt. It had taken him a long time to rescue Tima. If things had   
been the way they were when he arrived, what must Tima have gone through for the   
six weeks it had taken him to find her?  
Kenichi blushed heavily, "Tima I… There's nothing more important than you…"  
"Oh. Why Kenichi?" Tima lent forward and tilted her head a little to one side as she   
asked this. Kenichi felt a knot form in his stomach.  
"… I'm not sure Tima." Kenichi looked away, finding it difficult to hold Tima's gaze.  
Again they were silent for a moment, then rising to his feet Kenichi said, "You should   
get some sleep. Goodnight Tima," and left the room.  
* * * * *  
  
Why had he said that? Kenichi rolled over on his bed. But it was the truth. There   
was nothing more important to him than Tima; maybe he really did love her… But   
even if he did, Kenichi wasn't sure if Tima felt the same. It was no use worrying   
about it now anyway, in the end he fell asleep.  
  
* * * * *  
  
She couldn't do it. Kenichi had told her to but Tima just couldn't get to sleep. Every   
time she closed her eyes all of the old questions came back. What was she? She   
wasn't human, but at the same time she wasn't a robot; at least that was what that man   
had said. What had he meant by 'superhuman'? And then there was what that boy…   
Rock he was called wasn't he? When he had asked her who her father was Tima had   
said Kenichi almost automatically. But now Tima wasn't so sure of that, she really   
had no idea of what a 'father' was. Kenichi had said that word once too hadn't he?   
He'd asked who her father and mother were. So a father was a person and a   
possession, and had something to do with something else called a mother? Well   
Kenichi definitely wasn't Tima's father because she didn't own him. Tima's head   
hurt. It was all so confusing, perhaps she should just try not to think about these   
things and ask Kenichi next time she saw him.  
Then again why couldn't Tima go and see him now  
Climbing out of bed Tima headed for Kenichi's room. All of the lights were out,   
however the room was bathed in a soft glow from a machine up against one of the   
walls. Walking over to this machine Tima looked at the picture on the front of it. It   
was a picture of that nice room she had been in with Kenichi and that other person;   
she could see him lying on one of the beds. Looking away from the picture Tima   
walked over to the desk against the other wall. Were these pictures of her? But… she   
had never worn dresses like those, although the lady that had talked to her when   
Kenichi wasn't there had given her something like them. Tima had also never had her   
hair like that.  
Finally Tima turned around and looked at Kenichi, asleep on his mattress on the floor.   
Tima suddenly felt extremely tired and lonely, and couldn't bear to go back to her   
room.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Kenichi was lying on his side, his head pillowed on his hands. He slowly opened his   
eyes, that had been the best he'd slept in a long time. But why did his front feel   
so warm? Kenichi started to roll over but found something was in his way, wondering   
what it was he lifted his quilt and looked underneath.  
What Kenichi found there gave him a shock. There, with her eyes closed and smiling,   
curled up in a ball and cuddled against him, was Tima, fast asleep.  
"T…Tima…?" he gasped. She murmured something in her sleep and snuggled up a   
little closer to Kenichi. He suddenly felt extremely awkward.  
Tima stirred. She slowly opened her eyes and looked up at Kenichi.  
"Tima… why are you here?" Kenichi asked, blushing.  
"I wanted to ask you something but you were asleep, so I decided to stay here. It is   
okay if I stay here, isn't it Kenichi?" there was a kind of innocent fear in Tima's   
voice, and Kenichi couldn't bear to answer in any way but, "… Alright, you can   
stay." Smiling Tima curled back up and closed her eyes, once again snuggling up   
against Kenichi's front. Blushing even harder Kenichi lay his head down again.  
"What did you want to ask?" he asked Tima, looking under the covers at her.  
Tima looked back up at him, "What's a father Kenichi?"  
"Well… a father is someone who looks after you."  
"Like you Kenichi?" Tima asked.  
"Well, no not really… A person is like a mix of their mother and father, their parents,   
who look after and love them. They are their parent's child. So you see, you aren't   
my daughter, so I'm not your father. Um… huh…?" Kenichi knew he wasn't the   
right person to explain all this. He barely understood himself.  
"Does that mean I have a mother and father Kenichi?" Tima asked.  
"No…" Kenichi had been afraid of this.  
"Why not?" Tima looked worried.  
Gritting his teeth Kenichi decided to tell her the truth, "Tima… It's true that all   
humans have a mother and father but…"  
"But I'm not a human, am I…" a tear rolled down Tima's check. So it was true, she   
wasn't human… "I'm a robot…"  
"Tima…" Kenichi didn't know what to say, but seeing Tima like this…  
"But why do I look like a human?" she asked.  
"You aren't exactly a robot Tima…"  
"What do you mean Kenichi?"  
"Your body is mostly robotic, but, well you have a human heart. You're at least part   
human… But that doesn't matter! You're Tima and that's all that's important,"   
Kenichi couldn't think of anything more he could say.  
Tima rubbed her eyes, "So I'm part human…? How human?"  
"I told you Tima, machine or human doesn't matter! Especially not to me!" Kenichi   
had spoken without thinking again, and immediately turned a much, much deeper   
shade of red when he realised the implications of his words.  
"Kenichi…" Tima said in a sort of sob, burying her face against him. Not knowing   
what else to do Kenichi put his arms around her and held her close. To his surprise he   
found Tima was shaking a little.  
Feeling suddenly very hot, Kenichi gave a deep sigh, and in a short while found   
himself falling asleep again.  
  
* * * * *  
  
"Oh…" Kenichi yawned and stretched. Looking under the covers again he found   
Tima was still asleep. No matter how weird this situation seemed Kenichi couldn't   
help but smile on seeing her like that. How could a man as inhuman Laughton   
possibly create something like Tima? She made a noise in her sleep and snuggled   
Kenichi again. Realising Koh still needed to be restored, Kenichi decided to wake   
Tima. He shook her gently, and she slowly opened eyes.  
"Hey Tima, it's time to get up."  
Smiling Tima climbed out of the bed, and Kenichi did the same. Stifling another   
yawn he walked over to a pile of folded clothes from which he pulled several, Tima   
stood watching. The clothes were his luggage, and he had never intended to use them   
for so long. He had been pretty lucky really; he and his uncle's hotel had only just   
been outside of the Ziggurat's blast radius. Next Kenichi headed for the bathroom,   
and it was just as he was lifting his shirt over his head that he noticed Tima standing   
behind him.  
"Ah! Tima please wait outside!" he pushed her out of the room.  
"Why Kenichi? What are you doing?" Kenichi realised Tima had never actually   
washed.  
"I'll explain in a minute," he shut the door. Kenichi pulled ofF his clothes and with a   
deep sigh climbed into the bathtub. It was a simple contraption, an old tub into which   
water was constantly falling from a hole in a pipe in the ceiling that carried hot water   
somewhere, and then flowing out and down a nearby drain.  
Wondering what he was going to do to stop Tima getting into such embarrassing   
situations, Kenichi began to wash himself.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Having put fresh clothes on, Kenichi opened the door to the bathroom and found   
Tima standing right outside smiling at him.  
"Tima… you've been waiting there all this time?" Kenichi asked astounded.  
"Well you told me to Kenichi," Tima replied.  
"Yeah I suppose…" Kenichi found it strange she had taken his instructions to heart   
like that.  
"What were you doing in there?" she asked.  
"I was bathing," he hadn't noticed before, but Tima really stank. Kenichi doubted it   
was actually her that smelled, rather the clothes she'd been wearing for five days, and   
had been sitting unwashed for at least four weeks in between time, however he was   
pretty sure the smell was going to linger even without them.  
"What's that?"  
"I'll show you. You really need a bath yourself," Kenichi pulled Tima into the   
bathroom and poured a liquid from a nearby bottle into the tub. A thick froth formed   
on the water's surface.  
"What's that Kenichi?" Tima asked, looking over the side of the bath in near   
fascination.  
"Soap," Kenichi replied sounding matter of fact, "Now what you have to do is take   
off your clothes- No not yet!" he almost yelled, Tima pulled her shirt back down,   
"Phew… Now, when you've done that you just get in the bath and soak yourself for a   
while. Understand?"  
"Yes Kenichi." Tima answered.  
"Good, I'll leave you then. Watch out for the soap, don't let it get in your eyes or it'll   
hurt. I'll come back in a little while." Kenichi walked out of the room and pushed the   
door to, then sat down. He'd wait outside, just in case. After a moment, quiet   
splashes began to emanate from the direction of the bathtub.  
  
* * * * *  
  
This is fun! Tima thought as she sat in the warm water. With her finger she cut   
indefinite shapes in the bubbles on the surface. She wished Kenichi were here   
though, why didn't he want to have fun too? Tima gathered up a lump of bubbles in   
her hands and blew them away, and after floating for a few seconds they settled at the   
other end of the tub. Giggling she began moving back and forth, watching the little   
waves moving across the water and ignoring the copious amount of spillage.  
Outside Kenichi smiled to himself. He could guess what was going on inside the   
room, it was a good thing spilt water drained right away over the stone floor.  
Wondering what it was like underneath the bubbles, Tima closed her eyes and put her   
head under the water, then opened them again. It was pretty down here, with the light   
playing on the surface. Realising she had stopped, Tima took a breath. That was a   
mistake. As she took the breath Tima felt the water pouring into her mouth and nose   
and down her throat, making everything hurt horribly. She got back above the water   
coughing and spluttering, trying to call to Kenichi through the pain in her throat. The   
soap was in her eyes and it was adding to the pain.  
Hearing the sudden commotion Kenichi jumped up and ran into the room, "Tima   
what's the matter?" he asked in a panic, seeing her sitting in the bath and gasping for   
air.  
"Ke- Kenichi!" Tima descended into another fit of coughing, covering her eyes with   
her hands. Kenichi knelt down beside the tub and started patting her back.  
"Come on Tima, just breath. It'll go away in a moment," he told her. He hoped she   
hadn't taken in too much water. Luckily Tima hadn't. Slowly she stopped coughing   
and looked round at Kenichi.  
"How did you manage that?" he asked, helping her out of the bath and putting a towel   
around her.  
"I put my head under the soap to see what it was like, but when I tried to breath it all   
went up my nose," Tima answered, a look of surprise on her face. Kenichi kicked   
himself mentally, he should have realised Tima didn't know you couldn't breath   
underwater.  
"Just rub yourself with that until you're dry," Kenichi told her pointing to the towel. He   
looked the other way, and Tima did as instructed.  
When she was dry Kenichi guided her from the bathroom and into his. Digging   
around in the pile of clothes he produced a shirt and a pair of shorts that fell to just   
below the knees, along with a pair of boxer shorts.  
"Here put these on," Kenichi gave Tima the clothes and turned around again while   
she put them on. A minute or so later he turned back. Tima was standing   
wearing his clothes, and they just about fitted her.  
Smiling Kenichi said, "We're going to have to get you some proper clothes some   
time. You've been wearing boy's clothes as long as I can remember!" Tima laughed   
a little at this, but the words reminded her of the pictures on the desk.  
"Kenichi, are those pictures of me?" she asked pointing at Kenichi's desk. Kenichi   
blushed heavily at this question.  
"Well, sort of… Here sit down," he flopped down on one end of his mattress.  
"When you were created Tima, it was because of a man called Duke Red. I think you   
know him, he has a really big nose, like a beak," Kenichi made appropriate hand   
gestures, making Tima giggle.  
"Now Duke Red used to have a daughter, she was called Tima. He never told anyone   
what happened to her, and the people who know aren't telling anyone either, all we   
know is Tima died when she was twelve. Ever since it seems he's been a different   
person, and he saw your creation as a chance to get his daughter back," Kenichi's face   
turned serious, "She looked exactly like you Tima, and that's her in the pictures."  
Standing up and walking over to the desk Tima picked up a picture of the girl running   
down a path, "She looks very kind. What was she like Kenichi?"  
"I don't know Tima, most of the people who had met her died during the rebellion or   
when the Ziggurat exploded. My guess is she was a very nice person, since you were   
made to be as similar to her as possible. In a way she was kind of like your sister,"   
Kenichi said looking at the picture in Tima's hand.  
"So Duke Red made me?" Tima asked.  
"No, he paid a man called Dr. Laughton to make you."  
"What was he like?"  
"My Uncle was looking for him for a long time before he died in the fire in his   
laboratory. Uncle once told me that he found it hard thinking of a man like Laughton as   
a human. Apparently he did a lot bad things," Kenichi replied.  
"Oh…" Tima said. Kenichi wondered what Tima was thinking, "I'd like to find out   
more about Tima," she said. The way Tima had said the words made them sound   
strange.  
"Perhaps we will find out about her one day," Kenichi said.  
Tima looked away from the picture to Kenichi, "What's a sister?"  
The unhappy look disappeared from Kenichi's face and he laughed, "People who   
come from the same parents are called either brother or sister. Sister for a girl,   
brother for a boy."  
"What's the difference between girls and boys?" Tima asked.  
Kenichi caught his breath and blushed heavily, "Well uh… you see… oh I'll tell you   
some other time," he laughed awkwardly. Tima just stared blankly at him, "Let's   
have breakfast!" Kenichi jumped up.  
  
* * * * *  
  
"It seems things are getting a little tense." Aki said as she lifted two plates of food up   
onto the table in front of Kenichi and Tima.  
"Thanks Aki. How do you mean?" Kenichi asked. Tima turned to listen to Aki as   
well.  
"The situation between Japan and Metropolis is looking to turn nasty," Aki climbed   
onto a chair and sat down on the other side. They were sitting at a table outside their   
home, on the edge of the ruins. It was a beautiful day, with the sun beating down on   
them so. On days like this the ruins almost seemed pretty, "It seems like it had   
something to do with the Ziggurat. First with the solar flare incident, that cost them a   
huge amount of money, and now the nuclear fallout from when the fusion reactor   
blew up has reached them and is causing all sorts of trouble."  
"What's Japan Kenichi?" Tima asked.  
"It's the place I was born," Kenichi answered, "Hold on Aki, fallout? What nuclear   
fallout? We were fine here."  
"Most of the radioactive particles were blown into the air in the explosion and were   
carried away like a cloud. Japan was unlucky enough to have been where most of it   
came down, although a few other South East Asian countries were affected."  
"So this could lead to a war?" Kenichi looked worried.  
"Yes, it seems like it," Aki said sadly, "Whenever Metropolis starts a war it's almost   
always been a genocide. But this time it may be different. Japan's the second most   
technologically advanced country in the world, so a war between the two of them   
could be terrible," Kenichi paled a little.  
"Kenichi, what's a war?" Tima asked, looking a little scared. If it was something so   
bad it frightened Kenichi then…  
"Something very, very bad Tima. I'll explain properly later," he answered. Kenichi   
didn't plan on telling her very much. There was no way he was going to let Tima get   
mixed up in a war.  
"Kenichi…" Aki sounded awkward, "I don't think you should stay here."  
"What? Why?"  
"It could be dangerous here. Whenever a war starts in Metropolis, all foreigners are   
rounded up and sent to 'protection camps', to protect them from 'extremists'. In other   
words the entire city becomes extremely racist towards anyone who isn't from this   
country, along with anyone who associates with them," Aki looked at Tima for a   
moment.  
"Oh…" Kenichi understood immediately. He didn't like the idea of these camps   
much at all, but if Tima were put in one too… and besides they would undoubtedly be   
separated, "How long do we have?"  
Aki looked down at the table, "If things keep going like this, a week at most."  
"Can you find a flight to Japan for the three of us then?"  
"I can't come with you Kenichi…"  
"Why not?" Kenichi hadn't thought Aki had any reason to stay behind.  
"No robots may enter or leave the city during times of political difficulty. It's to   
protect against spies or terrorists."  
"Once again anti-robot bias…" Kenichi muttered angrily.  
"I ought to be able to get the two of you places on the next plane out though. The security   
doesn't bother to scan people of course, since as far as they know no robot could   
possibly look like a human. The worst that could happen is you could get searched."   
Aki seemed resigned to staying. Kenichi hated this city more and more.  
"Well, I'll go see about those bookings then…" Aki said climbing from her chair.   
Her voice carried an air of forced cheerfulness. As they watched her walk away   
Kenichi and Tima were quiet for a while, and then Tima asked, "What's happening   
Kenichi?"  
"We're going to go to Japan. It's going to be dangerous to stay here soon," Kenichi   
stood up and carried the plates in doors with Tima following.  
"Will Aki come with us?" she asked.  
"No, Aki can't come with us, she isn't allowed to."  
"I think that's unfair." Tima was standing behind Kenichi as he washed the crockery   
under a stream of water falling from a nearby severed pipe.  
"It is Tima… Metropolis claims to be a free land where everyone can be happy, but   
under the surface there're so many bad things," Kenichi shook his head.  
"You said earlier you'd tell me what war is." Tima said.  
Putting the plates down Kenichi turned to her, "It happens when groups of people   
disagree, and can't resolve the problem by talking, so they try to kill each other so that   
there's no one left to argue with them."  
"Why do they do that Kenichi?"  
"Nobody really knows Tima," Kenichi sat down at the table again, "It's stupid really.   
Why can people never resist the temptation to fight if talking doesn't work?   
…Normally one side starts the war, and the other tries to protect themselves. But it's   
never that simple…"  
Tima sat down across from him, "Why?"  
"Don't worry about it Tima. I promise you'll never need to know," Kenichi told her   
with a smile. Inwardly he hoped he really could do this.  
Tima smiled back, "Okay Kenichi."  
  
* * * * *  
  
The airport was a lot busier than Kenichi remembered it being when he had arrived   
with his uncle all that time ago. Back then, you couldn't move without brushing   
against someone, now it felt like he was out on the streets of the network again, being   
dragged along with the others by the force of the crowd. There were all sorts of   
robots around them that he had never seen before. This was because of the fact that   
the zone number restrictions had been temporarily lifted so that the robots could do   
several more jobs than they normally would, to compensate for the lack of workers   
because of the chaos the Ziggurat had caused. Of course the lack of workers had also   
meant that most of the inhabitants of the slums had been able to get jobs too. The   
government had decided to cut down on the number of robot workers being built   
anyway, after the rebellion they had learned a valuable lesson.  
Kenichi, Tima, and Aki were holding each other's hands in the hopes of not getting   
separated. Koh, who had been brought out of his recuperative sleep to say goodbye   
had wanted to come too, but of course they was no way for him to get around. As   
Kenichi walked along, he thought back on what had been said.  
  
* * * * *  
  
"So you've got to leave, huh Kenichi?" Koh asked looking out at the three of them   
from the screen.  
"That's right Koh. Metropolis isn't going to be safe for us much longer." Kenichi   
answered.  
Koh's gaze turned to Tima, "Well Tima, I guess this is goodbye, I just wish we'd had   
a chance to get to know each other better. Look after Kenichi for me."  
"I will, and thank you for helping to save me," Tima said.  
"He never once talked about anything but you when we were in the network you   
know." Koh said with a mischievous grin, Kenichi blushed heavily and looked at the   
floor, making Koh and Aki laugh.  
"Aw man… I really wish I could go with you to the airport. Don't you dare forget   
about us," Koh said, a mock scowl on his face.  
"We won't Koh," Kenichi said grinning.  
"By the way I've been thinking about what I'll do once I'm recovered properly."  
"What?" all three asked.  
"I think I'll become a wanderer in the net. I'm going to get stronger, that way no   
virus'll control me ever again!"  
"Well be sure to come visit." Aki said cheerfully.  
"I will, don't you worry about that."  
"Goodbye then Koh, and thanks for everything!" Kenichi said as they walked from   
the room waving.  
  
* * * * *  
  
All considered, Kenichi was sort of happy to be leaving. Of course he would miss   
Aki, but on the flipside, he'd be able to show Tima his homeland, he'd be able to see   
Uncle Shinsaku again, and he was starting to really dislike Metropolis anyway.  
"We're almost there," Aki said. The gate for the airliner to Japan loomed ahead.  
As they reached the gate they dodged into an alcove area to say their goodbyes.  
"We'll be seeing you then Aki," Kenichi said kneeling. His eyes stung a little.  
"Goodbye Kenichi," the little robot threw her arms around her friend.  
"I'll try and find a way to contact you. Maybe I'll look for the terminal on the net or   
something."  
"I'll keep it connected," Aki said stepping back.  
"Goodbye Aki," Tima said.  
"Goodbye Tima," Aki answered. It didn't seem like there was anything more to   
say. Kenichi stood up.  
"We'll see each other again," Aki said. It was a statement.  
"Yes, we will Aki. Goodbye," and with that Kenichi and Tima disappeared into the   
crowd. Leaving Aki standing silently watching where they had been for a while after.  
  
********************************************************************************************  
  
Well, that's it. The end of The Search For A Mind. Thank you to everyone that read   
and reviewed the story. I plan on doing a sequel sometime soon, and I hope you'll   
look out for it. Really this is only an end to a title that's becoming inappropriate.   
Thanks everyone.  
  
On I side note, to those out there who noticed it and thought, 'Hey wait a sec', fusion   
reactors don't meltdown!' I'll try and give an explanation. Although I doubt I've got   
it right…  
  
Although a fusion reaction is cold, and therefore cannot normally meltdown, and   
cannot produce radiation since it involves the fusion and not the fission of atoms,   
there are rare circumstances under which a meltdown can still happen. I think. Well   
whatever Rock did to the Ziggurat it made the fusion plant blow up anyway. I think   
that button Rock pushed was a kind of emergency shutdown for the omotanium fusion   
reactor. And what would normally have happened would have been the Ziggurat   
would have simply stopped working. However, since Tima had pushed the reactor to   
overload point already, slamming on the brakes caused the fusion reaction to reverse,   
producing a fission reaction that the core was not shielded against, nor did it have any   
coolant functions. The reaction quickly went into a meltdown and breached the core,   
causing an explosion. If anyone can come up with a theory as to how Kenichi   
survived this, I'd really appreciate knowing.  
  
Thanks for reading! Please review! ^ _ ^  
I wonder if this'll ever get riffed… Heh, I hope so. 


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